


Angel and Demon

by kethni



Category: American Gothic (TV 1995)
Genre: Crossover, F/M, M/M, Post-Season/Series 01 AU, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-15 20:44:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 43,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21259385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kethni/pseuds/kethni
Summary: Lucas leant against the car door. ‘But I got two kin coming into town and you only asked about one.’Caleb frowned. ‘You do? I guess I didn’t notice.’‘Well, on a purely… personal level I guess Jackson is more interestin’ on account of him being my little brother, and he grew up here,’ Lucas acknowledged. ‘But when it comes to… other traits, like raining Twinkies, Jack is more important.’‘One’s called Jackson and the other is called Jack? Who was in charge of names in your family?’





	1. Chapter 1

Outside the house, the street was silent. Quiet as the grave when here in Trinity it was a job to make the dead quit jabbering. Caleb wondered if there was some kind of joke in that.

He let the curtain fall shut. There were a lot of rooms in Lucas’s house. A lot of bedrooms, but this one was his choice to sleep in. The other rooms were neat, clean, and as soulless as the motel bedroom Caleb had stayed in with his family when he was six. This bedroom had belonged to someone. Lucas had been surprised that Caleb had chosen it, surprised and maybe a little uneasy. As much as he ever was uneasy.

‘You sure you want this one, son? There’s others bigger and more comfy.’

Caleb was sure. He sat on the hard, narrow bed and looked at the walls. They were dark of course. Seemed like everywhere Lucas called his own was dark and oppressive. His office back at the station seemed like a crypt.

There were faded posters on the walls; the paper crisp and crackling with age. There had been sunlight in the room once, and it had faded the images on the posters to indistinct shapes. Caleb thought maybe the one across from the bed was a poster of a band.

Caleb wasn’t into music and neither were any of his friends. So maybe the boy who’d been in this room had been a little older. That wouldn’t explain the bolts. Caleb got off the bed and opened the bedroom door. It was real heavy and a made a ringing sound when it caught the skirting board. Metal then. Who put a metal door on a bedroom? Same person who put three big bolts on the outside: one at the bottom, one in the middle, and one at the top. Way too high for Caleb to reach. The bolts were as thick as his wrist and real old. Caleb played with the middle bolt, but it complained, and he could barely move it. It hadn’t been kept oiled. That was something, he guessed.

There was no lock on the window. That had been nailed shut years ago and there were layers and layers of paint around the edges, sealing it shut. The only way that Caleb could get outside was out the front or backdoor, and either of those meant going past Lucas.

Something inside Caleb shivered. He wondered if it was Merlyn. He’d made Lucas tell him what happened over and over. He knew Lucas tried to twist things, that he told lies whenever it suited him, but this one felt true. He felt Merlyn far away and close by.

He didn’t trust Lucas, but he knew pretty well where the lines of trust should be drawn. The older man wouldn’t die for him, but he wouldn’t claim it neither. Lucas would twist the truth, but he was always willing to admit when Caleb had a choice. Merlyn gave her existence for Caleb, but she was willing to let him die if it kept him from making what she figured was the “wrong” choice. Heck, a lot of the time she didn’t even want to admit there was a choice.

Lucas had been real calm when he told him about Gail and the baby. He hadn’t tried to twist things and Merlyn hadn’t popped up to preach about what was right and wrong. It left Caleb feeling like the earth was crumbling under his feet.

Caleb looked into the closet but found nothing apart from hangers. The drawers were pretty much the same but for a ten-year-old ‘Popular Mechanics’ magazine and a pack of chewing gum. Neither seemed much like they’d belong to Lucas.

Caleb took off his shoes before he left the bedroom, being careful not to catch a toe on the metal door. He stood at the top of the stairs, clutching the warm, smooth wooden handrail in his hand. Lucas said he didn’t know if Gail had fallen or been pushed. Caleb figured it didn’t much matter either way. It was his fault. The monster inside Caleb’s skin had raged when Lucas had appeared and carried her off to safety.

Caleb walked slowly down the stairs. About halfway down there was a gouge; in the handrail, in the bannisters, and in the step. Caleb touched his fingers to the wounded wood. Someone died here, something had been born here.

The refrigerator was full of beautifully packaged meals from the local restaurants. The stove was clean, but old and looked like it hadn’t been touched in years. Caleb frowned. He liked to cook and bake, even though the last cake he made end up in a mashed-up mess on the floor. He took a soda and perched on one of the wooden kitchen chairs.

‘You lookin’ for supper, Caleb?’

Caleb was proud for a moment, pleased that he hadn’t even twitched. The door behind Lucas was still shut. One day Caleb was going to get Lucas to show him how to do that.

‘Yes sir. Don’t you got no fixings for sandwiches?’

Lucas smiled that same old smirking smile. ‘Sure, just not in the fridge.’ He went over to a wooden drum and pulled out a loaf of freshly baked bread. ‘You keep bread too cold and it dries out.’

‘You a home economics teacher now?’

‘I’ll leave that to Selena.’ Lucas opened the high cupboards to get out the peanut butter and jelly.

‘You pretty mad with her, huh?’ Caleb asked.

Lucas looked real close at the knife. ‘I am… disappointed with Miss Coombs.’

‘I hope you don’t never get that disappointed with me.’ Caleb took a gulp of his soda. ‘Whose room am I in?’

Lucas swallowed a mouthful of food. There were no crumbs on his side of the table and no smears of peanut butter.

‘How do you mean?’

‘Who was in there before me?’

Lucas meticulously patted his mouth with a cloth and sat back. ‘This is an old house. Probably hundreds of people have been in that room.’

Caleb took another gulp of his soda. ‘Who was in there last?’

‘I guess that would be Jackson.’

Caleb’s dark brows came together as he frowned. ‘Who’s Jackson, some other little boy you wanted to raise in your image?’

‘In a manner of speaking,’ Lucas chuckled. ‘See, my daddy was a good-looking man and he liked the ladies. He especially liked those married to other men.’

‘There’s words for men like that,’ Caleb said darkly.

Lucas crossed his legs at the knee. ‘In your case one of those words would be “grandfather”, but that’s beside the point. He had a little thing going with the preacher’s wife and, well, nature will take its course.’

Caleb chewed the lip of his soda can. ‘Which preacher?’

‘Reverend Coombs.’

‘Is he related to Miss Coombs?’

‘He’s her father,’ Lucas said. ‘Mrs Coombs fessed up to the reverend right away, but he let her stew for nine months. Then when she finally dropped the baby, the good old Rev registered him under her maiden name and left him on our porch. That one out there.’ Lucas picked up the plates and put them in the sink.

‘He stole the baby?’

Lucas considered the question for a couple of moments. ‘I guess he did at that. He told his wife that she couldn’t ever see the baby, Jackson, or he’d divorce her and take Selena with him. He made her pick between her baby boy and her young daughter.’

‘Miss Coombs is your sister?’ Caleb squeaked.

‘No.’ Lucas leaned back against the sink. ‘The only blood between Selena and me is running in Jackson’s veins. He’s my half-brother ‘cos we share a father and her half-brother ‘cos they share a mother.’

Caleb relaxed a little and rested his chin in his hands. ‘What d’your momma say with a baby on the porch?’

‘Oh, well, she’d been dead a few years by then,’ Lucas said with a shrug. ‘Why all the questions?’

Caleb shrugged. ‘On account of the posters on the walls and the magazine. Most of this house feels like a museum but that room felt like a real person had lived there.’

Lucas rested a hand on his hip. ‘What kind of magazine?’

‘I dunno, some engineering type thing. Full of pictures of machinery.’

‘Oh.’ Lucas relaxed slightly.

Caleb fidgeted his fingers. ‘How come I never met him?’

‘Last time I heard tell he was in Miami. He got himself in a fix.’ Lucas shrugged. ‘Jackson always had a pretty loose interpretation of the law. He left Trinity I guess a few months before you were born.’

‘You didn’t kill him? What about what you said about there only being one in every generation?’

Lucas shook his head and put his arm around Caleb’s shoulders as he ushered him out of the kitchen. ‘Only one like me. One day only one like you. Jackson and the others are different. They’re not like us.’

Caleb frowned as they walked into the sitting room. There was a television in the corner of the room, hidden among the books and the ornaments. ‘That why he was locked in his room? I saw the bolts.’

Lucas grinned, that real amusement at something bad kind of grin. ‘I don’t recall Jackson ever being locked in his room. Our daddy died when Jackson was seven and I sure never locked him in. Always more interesting to give a boy the choice between staying and leaving.’ Lucas took out a Swiss army knife and tossed it to Caleb. ‘I’d rather you unseal the window before you smash it.’

Caleb turned the knife over in his hands. ‘This for me?’

‘Got your name on it.’

Caleb ran his finger over the inscription and grinned up at Lucas. ‘Thanks!’

‘You’re welcome.’

Caleb tucked the knife into his pocket. ‘What’re the bolts for then?’

Lucas turned on the television and handed Caleb the remote. ‘The previous occupant.’ He sat down on the couch and picked up a book from the side table. ‘He was quite the hellion, I believe.’

Caleb smiled slightly. ‘That was you?’

‘You got me.’

***

Caleb woke up early after a night of vague terrors and ill-remembered nightmares. Lucas might not blame him for the baby, or maybe he did, but Caleb blamed himself. He went after Gail with a poker, how could he do that? Not even Lucas killed _his_ half-brother. Leastways, he wasn’t admitting it if he did. Caleb got up and looked around the room. Everything looked old. Posters were still up. Magazine left in a drawer. Nobody had bothered to lock up the room or hide anything. Maybe if he looked again, he’d find something worth seeing.

‘Could really use someone to talk to right about now, Merlyn,’ Caleb muttered. She’d probably ask what he was doing, what he was trying to achieve. Truth was he didn’t know, except the idea of Lucas as anything but a grown and confident adult gnawed at him. Was he Caleb’s future? Lucas said that Jackson was “different”, different enough not to be Lucas’s heir. But different how?

The wallpaper behind the posters was a bold splash of colour. Caleb squinted and compared it to its neighbour: one faded almost to brown and the patterns little but a blur, and the other a rich russet with intricate gold detail.

_This wouldn’t have happened so quickly. _

Caleb spun around but he was alone. He scowled as he looked back at the patch of uncovered wallpaper. He ran his fingers along the edge, he could almost feel the warmth, the memory of sunshine. Or something like it. He started to put the crackling poster back and then realised it didn’t quite fit. The others were the same: they weren’t the originals. There had been other, earlier posters.

Underneath the bed he found one of those hippy pipes. That _had_ to be Jackson’s, and he had to be stubborn as heck to keep one in the house with Lucas. Some part of Caleb that had been holding real tight suddenly grabbed the image of Lucas smoking pot like a hippy. Some part of him leapt on the nascent giggle like a starving man on food.

Caleb laughed. Laughed until he wept. Laughed until he rolled around helplessly on his back. Laughed until Lucas knocked on the door before opening it.

‘Uh huh. Like that is it.’ Lucas knelt down and picked up the pipe. ‘Ain’t you a little young for this?’

‘It ain’t mine,’ Caleb gasped. ‘I found it under the bed. I thought it was yours.’

That set him giggling all over again.

***

Caleb braced the cutlery in his hands and looked down at his food.

‘Most daddies, they make their son breakfast they either pour cereal or they cook.’

‘I don’t cook,’ Lucas said. ‘The fact that “most” anybody does something is enough to put me right off.’

Caleb attacked his food with gusto. ‘Breakfast in a diner before school? That’s kinda weird.’

‘You worry too much about what other people think,’ Lucas said, pointing a fork at Caleb. He turned the gesture into a casual wave through the window as a passer-by, who gaped and ran away.

‘What’s her problem?’ Caleb asked.

‘Not used to dead men waving at her,’ Lucas suggested.

Caleb giggled. ‘I forgot about that. That why you’re here and not in the hospital, so’s you can scare people?’

Lucas smiled lazily and sipped his coffee. ‘Would I do a thing like that?’

‘Yes sir,’ Caleb said definitely.

The bell over the door jangled. Caleb looked over Lucas’s shoulder at Deputy Ben Healy.

‘Hi Ben,’ Lucas said, still facing away from the door.

‘Uh, hey Lucas, hi Caleb.’ Ben was fidgeting with his notebook, anxiety coming off him in waves.

Caleb wiped his mouth. ‘Uh, Deputy, I think I was rude to you the other day?’ he offered. ‘I don’t rightly remember much but I’m sorry.’

‘You threatened him with a gun is what you did,’ Lucas said with great deliberation.

‘I did?’ Caleb asked. ‘Where’d I get a gun from?’

‘It’s fine, Caleb,’ Ben said quickly. ‘You were… overwrought. You weren’t yourself.’

Caleb scowled as he poked his food with his fork. ‘I don’t know who I was, but I don’t like him. Threatening people with guns, chasing other people with pokers. He sure was busy.’

Lucas swallowed a mouthful of food. ‘Trying to stab me in the gut.’

‘I forgot that,’ Caleb said sheepishly.

Lucas finally looked up at Ben. ‘What can we do for you this fine morning, Deputy?’

‘Uh, what?’

‘What is it that you _want_, Ben? Why are you here?’

‘Oh, right.’ Ben ran his fingers through his thin, curly hair. ‘Well, uh, in the confusion last night I didn’t have much of a chance to get you up to date with things. Certain things. I’m not sure when they’re getting here so I didn’t want to wait until you got to the station, in case they beat you to it.’

Lucas looked over at Caleb. ‘You following this?’

‘Nope.’

‘Ben, what’re you talking about?’ Lucas asked.

Ben took a deep breath. ‘You never updated your records and the procedure is we informed your next of kin. Neither of them could get back in time for the funeral but they’re on their way. They’ll be here today most likely or maybe tomorrow.’

Lucas rubbed his forehead. ‘Both? Is that what you’re telling me, Ben, both of them at the same time?’

‘We thought you were dead, Lucas.’ Ben shuffled his feet. ‘Although I guess Jackson would’ve ended up coming anyway on account of the… other piece of news I got.’ He glanced at Caleb.

‘Oh, you mean Selena getting even more ridiculously dramatic than usual?’ Lucas asked dryly.

‘She tried to kill herself, Lucas!’

Lucas pushed his emptied plate away. ‘Tell me when she succeeds. Then I might be interested.’

There was a clatter as Caleb dropped his cutlery. ‘She okay?’

‘Don’t you worry about her,’ Lucas said. ‘She doesn’t deserve your compassion.’

‘She didn’t hurt nobody. I did that.’

Lucas sat back in his chair. ‘Son, Selena Coombs primed you like a gun and pointed you at Gail and the baby. Not because she wanted power, though I figure that’s what she told you, but because she was in an almighty rage against me. She wanted rid of Gail and the baby and after that she’d have come after you. Take my word for it.’

Caleb scowled but looked at Ben. ‘Is she okay?’

‘Not really,’ Ben admitted. ‘She’ll be in the hospital a while. She’s been asking for you, Lucas.’

‘That so.’


	2. Chapter 2

Lucas grinned as he walked through the hospital, watching staff, visitors and patients alike gasp, cross themselves, or hurry forward to grasp his hand. It was almost worth being killed to get that reaction to his bursting forth from the grave. No wonder He’d had His son do it.

‘I see you decided to go public,’ Billy Peele said, hands on his waist. He looked tired and worn. Frazzled, that had been one of Lucas’s mother’s words. Not one he had much chance to use but it suited well enough here.

‘Can’t keep a good man down, Doc.’

‘Uh-huh, or you apparently.’ Billy rubbed his face. ‘You know Selena’s here, right?’

Lucas folded his arms. ‘You don’t mean _here_. Not near Gail.’

‘No, no. Gail’s gotta private room. Private nurses. Everything you wanted. Everything you paid for,’ Billy said. ‘Selena’s in a bad way, more psychologically than physically.’

Lucas shrugged. ‘So? She’s not my problem. She’s all yours now.’

‘Hardly.’

Lucas pouted. ‘Aww, love’s young dream sprung a leak?’

‘Damn it, can’t you at least pretend to care one tiny, little bit?’

Lucas shrugged with his mouth as he turned the handle to Gail’s door. ‘S’pose I could. I don’t see any pressing call to though.’

***

Caleb squinted as he looked up at the dusty photographs in the case.

‘Who we supposed to be lookin’ for?’ Boone asked.

‘His name was Jackson.’

‘Jackson what?’ Boone scowled. ‘It ain’t exactly an unusual name.’

‘I don’t know. I don’t know what he looked like neither so quit asking.’

Boone folded his arms. The school hallway was too busy for them to stand like this. They were pretty much asking to get pushed aside by older kids.

‘It true that your cousin Gail is at the hospital?’ he asked.

‘Yeah,’ Caleb said, his shoulders tensed. ‘Miss Coombs too.’

‘Uh huh, ‘cos she thought the sheriff was dead,’ Boone said. ‘Only he ain’t.’

‘What?’ Caleb turned his head.

‘The sheriff ain’t dead.’

‘Not that part, I know that part. I had breakfast with him this morning.’

‘Ain’t you lah-di-dah?’ Boone sniffed. ‘My daddy said to stay away from the sheriff.’

‘Prob’ly good advice.’

‘He don’t… he ain’t ever tried to hurt you, right?’ Boone asked. ‘Like touching you funny?’

‘No! Hell no!’ Caleb crossed his arms tightly. ‘That what people think?’

‘It’s what my daddy thinks.’

‘Well it ain’t true. What’s wrong with your daddy that he thinks a thing like that?’

Boone shrugged. ‘Sheriff sure hangs around you a lot,’ he said.

‘He wants to be my new daddy,’ Caleb said.

‘That’s what he says. Just don’t go inside that house of his.’

Caleb shrugged. ‘I was there last night, and he didn’t do nothing. We got a meeting with the social people tonight. I’m gonna ask to live there with him.’

‘Not with Miss Holt?’

‘Nope.’

***

‘I meant it when I said I wouldn’t change you,’ Gail said. She took a sip of the water he held to her lips. ‘This solicitousness is creepy as hell.’

Her parched lips were pale as paper and there were dark grey shadows under her eyes.

‘I’ve been called worse than creepy,’ Lucas said with a grin. ‘Hell, I’ve been called worse than that by you.’

‘Oh, I just bet you have.’

Lucas dried her lips with a clean cotton handkerchief and picked up the bowl of soup. ‘And when you said that you loved me, did you mean that too?’

Gail looked away. ‘I thought you were dead.’

‘I’ll take that as a yes.’

She winced as she turned to glare at him. ‘You’re an insufferable son of a bitch.’

‘I ain’t asking you to suffer me, Gail,’ Lucas said. His hand slipped under the covers.

‘You have got to be kidding.’

‘It’s like the song,’ he grinned, ‘I wanna hold your… hand.’

She bit her lip as his long, straight fingers brushed her thigh. ‘I lost the baby.’

‘I know.’

Gail brushed a lock of hair away from her face. ‘Billy Peele said you asked if I wanted it.’

‘Him. The baby was a boy.’

‘If I wanted him,’ she said. ‘Why would you ask that?’

‘Why not?’ Lucas said with a shrug.

‘That’s not an answer.’

‘Questions are more interesting.’

Gail braced herself to look at him. He’s not a pet. You can’t domesticate him. He’s like a… snake or an alligator. Incapable of empathy. The day you forget to feed him is the day that you’re lunch.

He met her eyes and smiled. His skin was always warm to the touch. Beneath the familiar scent of light aftershave and the musk of his skin she smelt hospital antiseptic. She felt a prickle of stubble where his razor had missed, that wasn’t like him. However confident he seemed; the truth was that he was still recuperating.

She felt his other hand cup her face as he deepened the kiss. She’d always hated grabby men. Lucas was worse than that, he was controlling; he held her face, he guided her hands and manipulated her body. He always got far too much pleasure from picking her up and carrying her to bed.

She felt his fingers work inside her. He was breathing a little more quickly and that was unusual for him as well. His eyes were almost black.

‘Stop,’ she muttered against his mouth. ‘It’s too… I just had surgery. It’s too soon.’

‘Then I’ll wait,’ he said.

Gail avoided his gaze as he sat back in his chair. He didn’t love her. He simply wasn’t capable of it. At least she wasn’t labouring under that delusion.

‘Where’s Caleb?’ she asked.

‘At school. You wanna see him?’

‘What? Is that safe?’ She cursed herself as he smirked.

‘Sure, where else would he be?’ Lucas leaned over and stole one of the plums from the enormous fruit basket he’d brought.

‘I don’t know, a secure psychiatric facility?’ Gail retorted.

Lucas bit into the plum. He licked his lips as the rich juice threatened to spill from his mouth. He held the plum to her lips, and she leant forward to take a bite. The soft flesh gave easily, and the sweet juice trickled into her mouth and over her lips. Why did people choose the apple as the forbidden fruit when they far less sensual than pears, plums, peaches, or berries?

Lucas dried her lips and chin with his thumb then sucked the juice off. He took her hand. It disappeared inside his gentle but firm grasp. She should never have let him touch her. That was where it all started: when she’d given him her hand in the restaurant.

‘Last night Caleb wasn’t exactly feeling like himself,’ Lucas said.

‘Then who was he? I can’t imagine you running around after people with a poker.’

His thumb was rubbing the back of her hand. It was different from the way he’d touched her before. Far more soothing, if that word could ever be applied to him.

‘He’s young, he’ll grow out of all that melodrama,’ Lucas said. ‘He’d like to see you.’

‘I’m not ready for that either,’ she murmured, slumping back onto the pillows.

***

Mondays were cognitive therapy. Tuesdays were art therapy. Thursdays were aqua therapy. Fridays were music therapy. Saturdays were cooking, although Matt wasn’t considered ‘quite there’ yet. Sundays were quiet time.

Wednesdays. Officially Wednesdays were group therapy. Unofficially…

It was always the whistling that made his stomach clench. Not the orderlies whistling, no, that was just meaningless background sound. This was deliberate, jaunty and mocking. Like the whistler himself.

Matt slowed his steps. It was a useless gesture when the orderlies would just hurry him along. He wished it was in his nature to lash out, hell, there wasn’t anything they could do to punish him other than refuse him visitors.

Visitor.

He supposed he could have refused. It wasn’t prison, it should be his choice if he wanted to spend every Wednesday afternoon waiting in nauseated anxiety for his ‘guest’ to arrive. If he wanted to continue giving Lucas the satisfaction of seeing him here.

That was the problem wasn’t it? Although by every conceivable measure Lucas had already won, Matt refused to admit defeat. That’s what declining to see Lucas would have been.

That Wednesday, Lucas was waiting in the visiting room, sprawled across the sofa with his feet crossed at the ankles. He was reading a newspaper and the rustle of the paper was very loud in the quiet room.

‘Afternoon, Harvard.’

Matt considered backing into a corner of the room and hunkering down on the floor. No. He refused to act the part of… of what, a mental patient? He almost smiled.

Matt looked up and found his arms crossing tightly across his chest. The other man looked the same as he always did, relaxed and completely at home. He could probably walk into a lab, a gladiatorial arena, or a stately home and strut around like he owned the place.

‘Newspapers aren’t allowed in here.’ Matt stayed by the door; arms folded over his chest.

‘That so?’ Lucas didn’t move the paper away from his face. ‘Well, you know the high regard in which I hold other people’s rules.’

‘The same high regard you have for other people in general, no doubt.’

Lucas shifted his legs, dropped one onto the floor, leaving a little space at the end of the couch. ‘You wanna come look at the contraband material up close?’

Matt considered his options. His instinct was, as always, to refuse. To tell the truth and shame the devil. But that was petty and childish, and probably exactly what Lucas expected. So, he walked across and sat down in the tiny space on the couch, trying not to lean back against Lucas leg.

As soon as he did, he knew it was a mistake. Warmth and humidity were rising from Lucas like a summer storm.

‘Why’re you here?’

‘Aww, don’t sulk, Harvard. I still love you; I was just running late on account of being buried alive yesterday.’

‘Couldn’t have happened to someone who deserved it more.’

‘You don’t look so hot, Harvard, you taking your meds?’ Lucas brought up his leg and lay it across Matt’s lap.

‘Unbelievable.’ Matt forced himself to turn his head and look at Lucas. ‘You just don’t give up, do you?’

‘I do believe that perseverance is the key to success in life.’

Matt flinched when Lucas put down his paper and gazed at him. He and Lucas were far too close for his comfort. In truth, being in the same state was closer than he was happy with but this… this made his skin crawl.

‘And what is it that you would consider success in this situation?’ Matt asked. It was taking all his self-control not to shove Lucas’s leg off his lap.

Lucas pursed his lips, as he appeared to consider the question. ‘I suppose that would have to be unconditional surrender.’

‘That’s never going to happen.’

Lucas grinned brightly. ‘I guess we’ll see, won’t we?’ He leant forward and squeezed Matt’s thigh. ‘At least admit you look forward to my visits.’

Matt snorted and wished he wasn’t too stubborn to simply stand up and move across the room. ‘That would be a lie.’

‘Don’t try to kid a kidder, Harvard. I know that our little chats are the most fun you have all week.’ Lucas sat up, dropped his leg, and turned around so he and Matt were side by side. ‘How many decent conversations have you had here with anyone who wasn’t me?’

‘The same amount as I’ve had with you, exactly zero.’

Matt shivered as Lucas put his hands down on the seat of the sofa, the side of his right palm and his fingers pressed against Matt’s thigh. Matt fought the urge to pull away, or to move closer. He could feel the warmth of Lucas’s skin radiating through his thin clothes and it made his nerves crackle. He tensed as he saw Lucas lower his gaze and slowly look over his body.

‘How long has it been since someone touched you?’ Lucas asked, raising his eyes up to Matt’s face. ‘I don’t mean gave you meds or shoved you in this room or that room. I mean touched, skin against skin. Sharing warmth. Exchanging scents on the most basic, primal level.’

‘You’re full of shit.’ Matt almost managed to keep his voice level but he knew that colour was rising in his cheeks and his pulse was pounding in his throat.

‘It’s an honest question,’ Lucas said in that “who me?” voice that always seemed equal parts infuriating and insulting. ‘You’re a human being ain’t you? You got needs, don’t you? They ain’t being met are they?’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘Or are they?’

Matt licked his lips. ‘You’d like that wouldn’t you? You’d like to think of me so broken that I’ll take any damn comfort going.’ He tensed as Lucas’s fingertips touched his thigh, circling round and round.

‘Oh, I never wanted you broken, Harvard,’ Lucas said, his eyes never leaving Matt’s face. ‘Just for you to know your place.’

‘Do you enjoy this?’ Matt asked, fighting to keep his voice level.

‘The question is, Harvard, do you?’

Matt licked his lips and looked away. ‘You must be short of things to do.’

‘Oh, I’m always prepared to make time for you.’ Lucas picked up the paper and opened it again. He shook it out. ‘Huh, says here that a new store is opening up in Trinity. How’s about that, Harvard, we’re finally going to get us a coffee bar.’ Lucas folded up the paper, put it aside, and moved his hand to the back of the couch.

‘Great. Next thing will be the mall I guess.’ Matt’s hands clenched into fists. Lucas had him trapped against the end of the couch. He could feel the bastard’s thigh pressed against his own, and Lucas’s arm behind him, the weight of waiting pressing against him. Waiting for the touch he knew was going to be coming.

‘That would please Miss Emory, no doubt,’ Lucas mused.

Matt snorted. ‘Miss Emory. You’re always unfailingly polite aren’t you, Buck? Do you call her Miss Emory in bed?’

‘Depends what game we’re playin’.’ 

Matt almost jumped as Lucas’s fingers touched the nape of his neck. They slowly caressed the exposed skin before moving down to Matt’s back. Matt held himself still, hardly breathing. The other man’s hand was large, and he knew from bitter experience how much stronger Lucas was.

‘You’re disgusting,’ Matt muttered.

‘And you’ve got a real active imagination, Harvard.’

Matt had to take a breath. Lucas’s fingers were insinuating themselves under his shirt and searching out the small of his back.

‘How’d you hear about Gail, anyway?’ Lucas asked.

‘This isn’t a Gulag. People do visit. Just not me. The staff gossips.’

Matt closed his eyes as Lucas moved closer, his breath warm against the nape of Matt’s neck.

‘About little me?’ Lucas asked.

‘Sheriff of a small town is a public figure, especially after you pulled your return from the dead.’ Matt licked his lips. ‘If you didn’t want people gossiping about the two of you then maybe you shouldn’t have gotten her pregnant.’

It was meant to wound, or at least to give Lucas pause, but instead he chuckled.

‘Hey, I was more than willin’ to do the right thing by her, but you know our girl. Independent to the last.’

‘If she’s willing to take you into her bed then apparently I don’t know her as well as I thought I did.’

He deserved Lucas’s derisive chuckle and far worse. He was well aware of his own hypocrisy. He wondered if this was how Gail felt, trapped between desire and disgust.

‘Your problem, Harvard, is you think too much.’ Lucas’s voice was very soft and quiet. His mouth was close to Matt’s ear. ‘You forget that what you _want_ comes from what you _feel_. It’s instinct. It ain’t about what makes logical sense.’ Lucas’s hand slowly slid across Matt’s skin from the small of his back, to his side, and then onto his stomach. ‘See what Miss Emory understands, that you don’t, is that _this_, is nothin’ to do with your mind and everything to do with your body. No heart. No soul. That’s her deal.’ Lucas’s lips ghosted against Matt’s ear. ‘Well, that’s what she likes to pretend anyhow.’

‘That must be easy since only one of you has a soul.’ Even to his own ears, Matt’s voice sounded strangled.

‘Well, I don’t think there’s any call to get personal,’ Lucas said lightly.

Matt almost laughed. No call to get personal when the man responsible for his being judged insane was sliding his hand into Matt’s crotch.

‘No reason in the world.’ Matt turned his head, found his face millimetres away from the other man’s. ‘Why do this?’

Lucas’s eyes were dark and curiously placid. ‘Do what, Harvard?’

Matt felt himself harden as Lucas’s hand wrapped around him. He forced himself not to react, which was a reaction of its own. ‘You know exactly what I mean.’

‘Maybe I wanna hear you say it.’

Matt felt Lucas’s thumb gently circling his balls. He fought the urge to close his eyes and concentrate. To block out the sanatorium, and Lucas Buck, and everything but his touch.

‘Why’re you seducing me?’ Matt asked quietly. 

‘It’s what I do,’ Lucas said with a shrug. ‘One way or another. This is just the most… honest.’

Matt bit his lip. He was close. He was so close. His fingers gripped the cushion of the couch. ‘There’s nothing I can… I can’t hurt you. I can’t stop you from getting Caleb. Why’re you bothering with me?’ He couldn’t help it. He closed his eyes. He grabbed Lucas’s wrist and tried to move his hand, to show him exactly how and where to touch.

‘Relax,’ Lucas murmured against his mouth. ‘Let go. Let go.’

‘I can’t.’ His breath was coming out in pants as he squirmed.

‘Let go, Matt, just relax. Nobody would blame you.’

He almost laughed. Lucas using his name, his real name, of course it would be a moment like this. Then Lucas’s other hand came up to his face. His palm against Matt’s cheek and his fingers in Matt’s hair, not gripping, nothing so blatant. His thumb against Matt’s cheekbone and his little finger under his jaw.

The kiss was the worse for being expected. For being slow, careful, and thoughtful. For masquerading as the closest thing he’d had to passion in years.

His skin was too tight and it burned. Every inch of him was on fire. He grabbed the couch and tried to think about the texture of the plush, or the buzz of the electric light. Anything but Lucas’s tongue caressing the roof of his mouth as Matt fought back his pleas. Lucas was holding him on the edge of coming, manipulating and controlling him still, as he had all along.

‘Please…’ Such a small word. So easy for it to slip out. So difficult to claw it back. He felt Lucas smile, and knew that he’d lost again. The latest battle of so many.

Lucas’s tongue slid across the roof of his mouth and his hand moved, his fingers allowing Matt to edge over the precipice.

Matt came in bursts of breath and deep grunts. He sagged back, reaching unthinkingly for the other man, even as his mind screamed at him to run.

‘Why?’ Matt whispered. ‘Why do you keep coming here?’

‘For the fun of it.’

‘You don’t even fuck me. What do you get out of it?’ Matt blinked slowly, trying to stay awake.

‘You’re a fascination to me, Harvard,’ Lucas said, kissing Matt’s forehead. ‘You don’t even know why you obsess about me. It really didn’t take much to send you sailing over the edge.’ He brushed a lock of Matt’s hair out of his eyes. ‘Let’s face it, ole Angie wasn’t exactly the most convincing.’ 

‘She wasn’t your mother.’ Matt’d known really. He was more dismayed than surprised. He’d let himself be tricked into trying to kill Lucas, and that decision, that mistake, was the reason he was trapped in this institution. With the man he hated as his only real company. But Angela had been someone; someone who he was sure _had_ known Lucas, someone who he’d killed.

‘If you’d taken two minutes to check the records, Harvard, you’d have known she couldn’t be my mother. For one thing my mother died when I was a boy,’ Lucas said, shaking his head.

‘Sorry to hear that,’ Matt said, closing his eyes. ‘How’d you kill her?’

He heard Lucas chuckle. ‘That’s a good one.’

‘Was her name Angela?’

‘Sure, although I believe she’d been using her maiden name for a while, so Angela Crane.’

Matt winced as Lucas idly tugged at his hair.

‘Whoever she was, she was right about you. You’re a monster.’

‘You don’t even care, d’you Harvard? You don’t give two hoots who she was or why she did it.’

If Matt had been less exhausted, he might have laughed. ‘I’m being lectured on human compassion by the man who threw her through a window.’

‘Now that’s just plain untrue.’

When Matt opened his eyes, he saw Lucas shrug at his incredulous expression.

‘I never threw anybody through a window,’ Lucas said. ‘Or made them jump. Not Angie and not Judy Temple. Angie knew what she had to do. I just pointed her to the window. She jumped. I thought it had a nice symmetry.’

‘I wish I’d killed you.’

‘If wishes were horses, Harvard, beggars would ride. Besides, if I were dead who come and make you a happy boy every Wednesday?’

Matt looked away. ‘Who was she?’

‘Oh, now you care?’

‘Tell me, or don’t tell me, Buck. I’m too tired for your games.’

‘My English teacher,’ Lucas said. He laughed at Matt’s expression. ‘She was my high school English teacher. A decent teacher and a _fine_ woman. Of course, things have changed now. She did now what she did then, and she’d have been in prison before you could say “abuse of position”. Back then people were mostly unimpressed with a married woman having an affair, not the age of the boy she was having the affair with.’ Lucas tapped Matt’s nose. ‘The good folks of Trinity ran her out of town, which was a damn shame and unfair to boot.’

‘A child abuser,’ Matt said softly. ‘Wonderful.’

‘Hey, it ain’t like I was at risk of being corrupted.’ Lucas straightened his sleeves. ‘I best be running along, Harvard, I have a full diary even if you have nothing better to do than sit around feeling sorry for yourself.’

***

Caleb lowered his head and pedalled furiously. The hospital hadn’t seemed so far away when he was at school, now he was worried he’d never make it back on time. He had a gnawing guilt at not going to see Cousin Gail but, well, she hadn’t asked for him either and what did that say?

He snuck past the staff and found Selena in room 5. She was shivering in the weirdly cold room.

‘Miss Coombs?’

She looked pale and her eyes were red raw, but she smiled when she saw him.

‘Hey there darlin’, you come to visit me?’

‘Yes ma’am.’ Caleb climbed up onto a chair beside her bed. ‘Ben tole me this morning and I come over as soon as I could.’

‘Laughing at me was he?’

‘Ben? No ma’am, he wouldn’t do that!’

Selena brushed her hair behind her ear. ‘Maybe not, although he wasn’t exactly leaping to my defence when Lucas was railing on me.’ She touched the back of her fingers to Caleb’s cheek. ‘It’s nice to see you back to yourself. Being more like Lucas didn’t suit you.’

Caleb shrugged. ‘He said you were planning to use me to kill Gail and the baby.’

‘I say anything like that to you?’

‘I don’t rightly remember,’ Caleb admitted. ‘I got tole this morning I threatened Ben with a gun.’

‘Goodness,’ Selena laughed, ‘I bet that surprised him.’ She smiled sadly at Caleb and then took his hand. ‘I’ll be honest with you, Caleb, I knew what you’d do if you found out she was having his baby. I wanted the baby gone. I was… jealous. It’s pathetic and petty, I know.’ She squeezed his fingers. ‘I was grieving, Caleb. You understand that, don’t you? I thought Lucas was dead. I wasn’t thinking clearly.’

Caleb shrugged. ‘I got no call to be throwing stones, not with what I was doin’ when I thought he was dead.’

‘I’m real glad you visited, Caleb, honey.’ Selena licked her lips. ‘Did someone drive you over?’

‘Nope, I rode over on my bicycle.’ His face fell. ‘Were you hoping Lucas brung me?’

‘Well, it was a stupid idea,’ she said, patting his hand.

‘He’s still pretty mad,’ Caleb apologised.

‘That man can hold a grudge, it’s true.’

Caleb squeezed her hand awkwardly. ‘But your brother’s coming to town, so he’s bound to visit, right?’

Selena blinked and sat up straighter. ‘My brother? Oh, honey, I only have one brother and I don’t see him in Trinity any time soon.’

‘His name Jackson?’

‘Jackson Crane,’ Selena sighed. ‘He’s my little brother. I haven’t seen him in years.’

‘I don’t know nothing about Crane, but his name is Jackson and Lucas tole me he’s half your baby brother and half his. What? Why you looking at me like that?’

Selena shook her head. ‘Lucas just upped and told you about Jackson?’

‘I guess,’ Caleb said, thinking about it. ‘I asked who stayed in my bedroom before me and Lucas said it was Jackson. There were these real old posters and a magazine and a hippy pipe under the bed.’

‘It’s called a bong, darling, it’s for cannabis. What kind of magazine?’

‘How come everyone asks that?’

‘I guess because we have a keen awareness of the kind of material Jackson enjoyed when he was last here,’ Selena suggested.

‘Well, this was some kind of engineering thing.’

Selena smiled. ‘I’ll be honest with you, darling, that’s quite a relief.’ She folded her hands atop the bedclothes. ‘I haven’t seen poor Jackson since Lucas ran him out of town. I doubt he has many fond memories of me.’

Caleb’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Lucas run him out -’

‘Caleb, what’re you doing here?’ Ben asked. ‘How come you ain’t at school?’

‘It’s his lunch time,’ Selena said, glancing at the clock. ‘Although he’s going to be late going back.’

Ben shook his head. ‘I’ll take you back to school, Caleb. Go wait for me in the car, and no trying to drive it! I don’t care if Lucas has been giving you lessons.’

‘Yes sir,’ Caleb said, kissing Selena’s cheek. He caught the keys that Ben threw to him and banged noisily through the door.

‘You here to finish me off?’ Selena asked Ben. ‘Promise I won’t struggle. Hell, I might even enjoy it.’

‘There’s times, Selena, when you make it real difficult for a person to like you.’

‘Look at you with a backbone,’ she murmured.

‘Look at you without one,’ Ben shot back. ‘I always figured I’d be the one who broke.’

Selena settled back against her pillows. ‘Plenty of time for you yet, Ben.’

‘This ain’t like you.’

‘You don’t know what it’s like to be me.’

‘You’re right,’ he said, ‘I got no idea what it’s like to send a ten-year-old boy off to murder a pregnant woman.’

‘You don’t know what it’s like to be discarded!’ she spat. ‘You don’t know what it’s like to be nothing but a toy owned by a bored little boy. A toy to be picked up and played with only when the mood takes him or when he wants to spite some other little boy. You were always worth the effort, Ben. You were always worth his time. Even when you doubted, even when you hated him, he _always_ took the time and effort to get you back onto his side.’ She shook her head. ‘He never let you drift away from him because he just assumed you’d come back on your own.’

Ben lent on the side of the bed. ‘That’s your excuse?’

‘I’ve known him longer than you have. Loved him longer. Needed him more. I think I deserve some consideration.’

‘You know he ain’t capable of that.’

‘He’s capable of pretending; he didn’t even give me that.’ Selena dried her eyes. ‘He didn’t even kill me. Because that would mean giving me some tiny scrap of his attention and he won’t even give me that now. Killing me would mean I mattered enough to murder.’ 

Ben patted her hand. ‘Don’t do nothing silly, okay? He’s mad right now. He’ll calm down.’ He smiled crookedly. ‘Then maybe he’ll murder you.’

She snorted with laughed. ‘Oh good! Something to look forward to!’

***

Caleb was rifling through the glove box when Ben opened the door to the cruiser.

‘Hey, hey! Git your hands out of there,’ Ben scolded, flapping a hand at the boy. ‘I took the gun out of there.’

‘I weren’t looking for a gun,’ Caleb said shamefaced. ‘I were just ferreting around bored.’

‘Well don’t do that neither.’ Ben settled in the car and started the engine. ‘You okay?’

‘Guess so.’ Caleb fastened his seatbelt and kicked his feet. ‘Miss Coombs going to be okay?’

Ben sighed as he pulled out into traffic. ‘Physically she’s going to be fine. But you’re a smart kid; you know that when people get hurt in their minds… in their souls, it can be difficult for those to heal.’

‘She do it because of Lucas?’ Caleb asked quietly, looking over at Ben.

Ben sighed again and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. ‘Well, I didn’t ask her but… Do you know what co-dependent is?’

‘Nope.’

‘It was a pretty dumb question.’ Ben drummed his fingers. ‘People can be good together and some people, well, they can be bad together. It’s like chemistry, you get this chemical and on its own its fine. And with this thing or that thing and its fine. But you get it with the wrong acid or whatever and BOOM!’

Caleb jumped and stared at Ben for a moment for bursting into giggles.

‘You know what I mean,’ Ben said, blushing. ‘That’s Lucas and Selena. Selena’s a lot of things but there’s something about Lucas, about being with Lucas, which just hits all her buttons. Billy Peele said it was like Lucas got under her skin and he’s right, but I figure it works both ways.’

Caleb bent down to play with the toe of his sneaker. ‘Did you know Jackson?’

‘Huh?’

‘Lucas’s brother. He’s coming to town, right?’ Caleb asked.

‘That’s a bit of a leap,’ Ben said lightly. ‘But yeah, I guess. I didn’t know him very long. I was only working for Lucas for maybe five or six months before Jackson left.’

Caleb raised his eyebrows. ‘Before Lucas ran him out of town?’

‘Well now who told you that?’ Ben spluttered.

‘Miss Coombs did.’

Ben frowned at the traffic and hit the sirens. ‘Let’s go in style.’ As the car rounded a corner, he licked his lips. ‘I liked Jackson, I liked him a lot, but honestly if ever someone _deserved_ running out of town, it was him. That boy was a one-person crime wave. Only he was charming and so personable, and did so little actual damage, that nobody ever wanted to press charges. When we finally did get him in front of a jury, they acquitted him even though we had a mountain of evidence.’

Caleb rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand. ‘What for?’

‘Mostly stealing, mostly cars although he took some motorcycles too. I say stealing; he’d say “borrowing”. He’d have them a couple of hours or half a day and then he’d leave them somewhere easy to find. He never trashed any of them.’ Ben snorted. ‘Hell, he even fixed Mrs Riley’s transmission when he brought her car back.’

‘Why?’

Ben shook his head as the car squealed around a corner. ‘I don’t know. I can’t claim to understand him. I will say I never thought he was “bad”, I don’t believe there was a malicious bone in his body. But… he sure did seem to get a kick out of driving us all crazy. Don’t even ask what he did to Floyd! I don’t know if he was trying to get a rise out of Lucas or what. But Lucas never came out chasing after Jackson, no matter what. That’d be the rest of us running around like crazy and then Lucas’d go home and Jackson’d have dinner on the table.’

Caleb sniggered. ‘Someone in that house cooked?’

‘Huh, Jackson was very domesticated,’ Ben said, rolling his eyes. ‘I guess anyone would be if they were mostly raised by the staff. I never met their daddy, but I’ve heard stories that’d make your hair curl.’

‘Lucas said he liked other men’s wives,’ Caleb said, his nose wrinkling up.

‘That so? Well, I’ve heard worse than that.’ Ben brought the car to a halt in front of the school. ‘All this was ten years ago, and Jackson was only what, twenty or twenty-one. He used to look real like Lucas, only a little chubby in the face and his hair was pretty much different as could be. But that was years ago and he’s probably a different person now.’

‘I hope not,’ Caleb said opening the door. ‘He sounds fun.’


	3. Chapter 3

The tiny two-person plane drifted down through the clouds. It seemed to float as it slowly spiralled in to kiss the runway and then taxied to an easy halt. When the cockpit door cracked open, jazz pooled out, along with a low-level meandering argument. It had a tired air, of two people who have been bickering so long that they’re no longer even really aware why they’re doing it, except to have something to do. That’s if they’re even still aware they’re disputing.

The pilot exited first. He was tall, blond, and muscular. He peeled down his flight suit to his waist, tied the sleeves around like a belt, and slipped on a pair of sunglasses. His gleaming white sleeveless t-shirt hugged his chest and pectorals.

‘You look like you’re about to go on parade,’ said the passenger, as he got out of the plane. He was a few years older than the pilot. His wavy hair was a mid-brown, with hints of grey at the temples. He was wirier than the pilot and warier in his movements, but the two men could have easily passed for brothers.

‘Point me at it,’ the pilot said with a grin. ‘I’m ready to dance on a float.’

The passenger shook his head and hauled out his luggage. ‘You shouldn’t tease, Jackson. One of these days someone might take you seriously.’

Jackson shrugged easily. ‘Nobody did yet.’

***

Caleb clattered down the school steps, stopping when he saw Miss Holt waiting.

‘Hey.’

‘Afternoon, Caleb. Thought it might be good if we could talk.’

Caleb twisted his toe into the step. ‘I’m s’posed to be going to a meeting with the social people. I promised Sheriff Buck I’d meet him at the station in ten minutes.’

Miss Holt took a step forward. ‘I could drive you.’

‘Nope, I didn’t want a ride from him neither. I’m gonna ride. I’m in training for a big race.’ He fidgeted with his book bag.

‘That’s good,’ she said.

‘So, what do you wanna talk about?’ Caleb asked, following her over to a quieter spot.

‘Caleb, I know you and the Sheriff are pretty close right now, but please, think if living with him is what’s best for you. Not just what you want, but what is right for you.’

The boy sighed and rubbed his nose. ‘Miss Holt, I love you, I do, and I appreciate you lookin’ after me all this while. But you ain’t hardly ever around for me to talk to and Lucas is my daddy. Did you know that? And he listens to me. He ain’t never once tole me he was too busy to talk to me or that I was too young for this or too old for that.’

‘Who told you he was your father?’

‘Merlyn first, so’s I know it’s true,’ Caleb said firmly.

‘Perhaps biologically he is,’ Miss Holt said carefully, ‘but he didn’t raise you. Gage Temple raised you.’

‘Nuh-uh, not hardly. He never taught me nothing or helped me or nothing else. It was just me and Merlyn. The best times was when he wasn’t paying attention to us. The rest of the time was worse. You understand?’

Miss Holt nodded and put her hand on his shoulder. ‘I think so, but Sheriff Buck wasn’t there for you either.’

‘I ain’t a fool,’ Caleb said, shaking her hand away. ‘I know that Lucas is a bad man. I know he’s good to me partly on account of wanting me to grow up like him.’ He scowled up at her. ‘So maybe I’m using him. Maybe him being bad is okay if I know it, and I do. Maybe that’s okay if he helps me with stuff and talks to me and gives me choices. You never done any of that stuff. You know what Merlyn did when I didn’t choose what she thought I should? She sulked. She got mad at me. Heck, there were times she’d rather me die than tell me I even had choices. Lucas don’t do that. He don’t much like it but he don’t try to make me feel small and stupid and wrong.’ Caleb squared his shoulders. ‘So maybe I’m better with him.’

‘He doesn’t love you, Caleb.’

‘So? I got people who say they love me: you, Gail, Doctor Matt. How many of you go out of your way to spend time with me? None. That’s how many. Lucas and Miss Coombs, they’re the ones who do that.’ Caleb shook his head as he walked over to his bicycle. ‘Maybe I’ll see you around, Miss Holt.’

***

The Sheriff’s station was chaos. Amid the cards and gifts delivered by the truckload were petitioners desperate to remind Lucas of past obligations or make panicked amends for premature jubilation.

Floyd looked at Caleb over the counter. ‘Oh. It’s you. You come to electrocute yourself again?’

‘Not right now,’ Caleb said brightly. ‘I’m here to see the Sheriff.’

‘You and half the town.’

‘Well he’s expecting me.’ Caleb leant his elbows on the counter. ‘Hey, Deputy?’

‘What?’ Floyd asked suspiciously.

‘What was it that Jackson Crane done to ya? Deputy Healy wouldn’t tell me.’

Floyd’s usually blankly stupid eyes suddenly filled with panic. ‘I’ll tell Lucas that you’re here.’

‘Are you following me?’ Ben asked, wandering around the counter and ruffling Caleb’s hair.

‘That’s me; I’m practicing to be a ninja.’

Ben turned to watch Floyd scramble away to Lucas’s office. ‘What’s his problem?’

‘He’s kinda twitchy,’ Caleb said, shrugging.

‘You off to your custody meeting?’ Ben asked, putting the coffee on.

‘Yes sir.’ Caleb climbed up onto a chair. ‘Bit nervous, truth be told.’

‘You hoping to live with Lucas now?’

‘Yup. You ain’t gonna tell me I’m making a mistake too are you?’

Ben shook his head. ‘No, not my place. Besides I figure you’re a smart kid and if you get in trouble you’ll ask for help.’

‘That’s the spirit, Ben,’ Lucas said cheerfully, slapping him on the shoulder, and making him almost jump out of his skin. ‘You ready to get going, son?’

‘Yup!’ Caleb said, jumping down to his feet.

‘Let’s go then.’

***

Caleb watched Lucas as he drove: he didn’t clutch the wheel the way Gail did, or have his shoulders clenched like Ben. He drove like he was in no hurry to get anywhere.

‘A little bird tells me that you went to see Miss Coombs,’ Lucas said.

‘Yes sir, nobody said I wasn’t to.’ He looked across. ‘You didn’t forbid me.’

Lucas glanced at him. ‘Forbidding ain’t really my style.’

Caleb thought about it. ‘I guess not.’ He tapped his feet against the floor. ‘I felt bad for her.’

‘Just remember that Miss Coombs is a complex woman. Just because she weeps and says she’s sorry don’t mean she wouldn’t do it all again tomorrow.’ Lucas warned. ‘The churches are full of sinners confessing the same old sins. Day in. Day out.’

‘I don’t remember her saying she was sorry.’

Lucas laughed. ‘And you still feel bad for her. Give the woman credit; she raises charm to a fine art.’

‘You mad because she set me to kill a pregnant lady or because she set me to kill a lady pregnant with _your_ baby?’ Caleb asked quietly.

Lucas’s quick glance was as dark as it was thoughtful. ‘In general, I’m not in favour of killin’,’ he said. ‘You kill someone… you’re done with them. Though there are plenty of times it’s necessary.’ He gazed out of the window. ‘But you’re right, I got no base moral outrage for it, it’s all personal. Of course, so was her doing it.’

Caleb relaxed slightly. ‘You gonna stop me from seein’ her?’

‘No. That ain’t my style either. You gotta make your own mistakes. But if she messes with you, I might find new ways to make her… wish she hadn’t. Deal?’

‘Nope!’ Caleb laughed. ‘I know better than to make a deal with you.’

***

While Lucas was signing paperwork for his custody, Caleb mooched about the corridor. His inner Merlyn, or whatever it was, was acting up. But he meant what he said. This past year, Lucas had been more like a father than Gage, or even Doctor Matt.

Caleb leant against the wall. He missed Matt, but not as much as he should. He felt bad about that. Lucas had more or less said _he_ didn’t have a conscience. That must come in handy lots of times. Caleb shivered and ran to the window. Why was it so cold all of a sudden? Outside the afternoon sky had gone a violent purple and black clouds loomed above. Caleb jumped as a hand clapped his shoulder.

‘I scare you?’ Lucas asked.

‘No!’ Caleb smiled slightly. ‘Maybe a little bit. Why’s the weather bad?’

Lucas tucked his paperwork into his jacket pocket. ‘Global warmin’?’

Something hit the window with a heavy splat. Caleb turned and stared out into the street.

‘Global warming making it rain Twinkies too?’

Lucas sighed. ‘Let’s go for a drive, son. You and me need to have a little chat.’

***

At the Sheriff station, Ben leaned out of the door holding a bucket out on his outstretched fingers. After a few seconds, he pulled it back in.

‘What it is?’ Floyd asked.

‘It’s Twinkies,’ Ben said. ‘It’s always Twinkies if it ain’t rain. You ever known it to rain Hershey bars or any other kind of snack?’

Floyd flushed red. ‘You say that like raining Twinkies is normal. It ain’t. Far as I know it ain’t even happened here in years.’

Ben dumped his booty out on the counter and went back for more. ‘When Lucas’s kin are in town, Twinkies raining from the sky _is_ normal.’

Floyd sagged down in his chair. ‘Aw, really? I thought that was just a rumour,’ he said miserably.

‘What’s your problem?’

‘You know what!’ Floyd lowered his voice to a hoarse whisper. ‘His baby brother makes me… you know.’

Ben rolled his eyes. ‘He does that to everyone. The key is not minding and not letting him talk you into nothing.’

‘That’s easy to say, isn’t it? Not so hard to do.’

‘Which part?’

‘All of it.’

***

The car tires settled a little into the soft, wet sand. The rain had finally turned to water, although it was now a pleasant summer shower from clear blue skies. Caleb looked at the gently moving waves and wondered if the fish liked Twinkies.

‘Ben said that you asked him about Jackson,’ Lucas said.

‘Yes sir.’ Caleb kept his voice level. ‘I figure he’s my kin too.’

Lucas leant against the car door. ‘But I got two kin coming into town and you only asked about one.’

Caleb frowned. ‘You do? I guess I didn’t notice.’

‘Well, on a purely… personal level I guess Jackson is more interestin’ on account of him being my little brother, and he grew up here,’ Lucas acknowledged. ‘But when it comes to… other traits, like raining Twinkies, Jack is more important.’

‘One’s called Jackson and the other is called Jack? Who was in charge of names in your family?’ 

Lucas laughed lightly. ‘You think that’s confusing then wait until you see them.’

‘I already know Jackson looks kinda like you,’ Caleb said with a grin.

‘So does Jack and neither of them seems able to get a haircut worth a damn.’

‘Gee, he another brother?’

‘Cousin, I got a parcel of ‘em but mostly they ain’t worth a fart in a hurricane. But Jack, he needs paying attention to.’ Lucas pushed his hair back off his face. ‘See, one day you’ll inherit from me, just like I did from my daddy. Jack, on the other hand, he inherited from our uncle, Joshua. See, Uncle Joshua got accidentally-on-purpose shot in the back by my daddy and ended up in a coma for years. But his heart never stopped so his spirit didn’t start to move on the way mine started to do. Now, I knew that Jack didn’t want to inherit, and didn’t like it, so I did him a favour and made sure that good old Joshua stayed breathing.’

‘That was real kind of you,’ Caleb said archly.

‘It’s the little kindnesses that matter, I find. Anyway, when my heart stopped, so did Joshua’s, and he died. Jack inherited, much against his wanting.’

Caleb put his chin in his hands. ‘But he ain’t like us, you said?’

‘No, see, most things in life have their opposite. Black and white. Sweet and sour. Jack and me.’

‘Good and evil?’ Caleb asked.

‘Those are just names for sides, son. What you need to know is that Jack just came into his inheritance. As confused as you were when I was sick, he’s ten times more confused. There’s other stuff but we can get to that another time. The important thing to know is that Jack is confused, and likely annoyed, and damn powerful. He can’t entirely control anything yet. He’s like a five-year-old with a machine gun.’ 

As they drove back to the mansion, Caleb thought about the hazy memories he had of the previous day and night. What he remembered wasn’t good, and what other people told him was worse.

‘Lucas?’

‘Yup.’

‘How come this Jack guy didn’t get no choice about inheriting? Merlyn always said I had to be strong to make the right choice about which way I went.’ Caleb took a deep breath. ‘I must’ve chosen evil to do the things I did.’

Lucas shook his head. ‘That Merlyn, always with the judgements. You chose to fulfil your own destiny instead of being bound by other people’s rules. Jack, on the other hand, does nothing but put other people’s needs ahead of his own. _That’s_ what made him Joshua’s heir. The spirit goes where it’s best suited. All he had to do was look after himself a little more but no, that boy was trapped by his nature. Now he’s got to live with it.’

‘Ain’t being powerful a good thing?’ Caleb asked.

‘Sure, if you’ve got the balls to embrace it.’

***

There were lights on in the mansion.

‘Is someone robbing us?’

Lucas smiled a little at the ‘us’ and shook his head. ‘That’ll be the boys. What you gotta remember, son, is that Jackson grew up in this house.’

Caleb opened the car door. ‘‘Til you run him out of town.’ He trotted along with Lucas to the front door, matching his steps with Lucas’s longer strides.

‘Now don’t forget, if anything happens with Jack, I’ll protect you.’

‘I won’t forget that you said it,’ Caleb said.

Inside the house music was playing, some kind of rock music, although Caleb didn’t recognise it. The house seemed strangely brighter, although there weren’t any extra lamps or candles lit.

‘I smell food!’ Caleb whispered as they hung up their coats. ‘Have they come to cook at us?’

‘Don’t get your hopes up at either of them being any good at it.’

Caleb followed Lucas into the kitchen, which was almost blazing with light, and watched open-mouthed. A man who looked alarmingly like Lucas was playing air guitar along to the music. When the song finished playing, he turned off the deck and looked right at the two of them.

‘You don’t get enough of that at your job?’ Lucas asked.

‘I don’t play music.’

He was dressed in a dark t-shirt, with tight, pale blue jeans, and what looked like light brown cowboy boots. He had mid-brown hair with hints of grey at the temples. His arms were bare, and a couple of stray chest hairs were visible just about the collar of the t-shirt. Caleb stared at him. He couldn’t think of anything he could have expected less.

‘Caleb, this is your first cousin, once removed,’ Lucas said, squeezing Caleb’s shoulder. ‘But you can just call him Jack.’

‘How you doing?’

Caleb licked his lips as he shook the hand that was held out to him. ‘How d’you do, sir?’

‘Pleasure to meet you,’ Jack said, and Caleb grinned at him. ‘Polite, aren’t you?’

‘He’s a good southern boy,’ Lucas said, walking over to the wine rack. ‘We teach our children manners.’

Jack turned to the oven. ‘I don’t know why you even have a kitchen. When was the last time you cooked something?’

‘Never,’ Lucas said, opening a bottle of wine. ‘When was the last time you cooked something that wasn’t mac and cheese?’

‘I wish I could make mac and cheese,’ Jack said wistfully. ‘I am strictly subsistence.’ He looked over at Caleb. ‘I bet you can cook.’

‘Yes sir,’ the boy said, smiling shyly. ‘But this smells great.’

‘That’s because Jackson wrote me very detailed instructions.’ Jack flapped a piece of paper.

‘Where _is_ Jackson?’ Lucas asked, pouring three glasses of wine, one half the size of the others.

Jack frowned as he poked something in a pan on top of the oven. ‘At the hospital seeing Selena.’

‘That one for me?’ Caleb asked, looking at the smallest glass.

‘Sure is.’

‘Whoa!’ Jack said quickly. ‘Have a sandwich or it’ll go straight to-’

There was a sudden series of soft thumps against the windows. Lucas scratched his forehead. ‘Caleb, run outside and see if there’s any sandwiches that take your fancy.’

‘I think I like it raining Twinkies better,’ Caleb said cheerfully as he left.

Jack slumped down onto a chair at the table, suddenly deflated, and covered his face with his hands.

‘Good job you didn’t suggest frogmore stew,’ Lucas said dryly.

‘I’m getting real fed up of raining food and the sun following me around.’

Lucas pushed a glass of wine towards him. ‘What’s that about the sun?’


	4. Chapter 4

‘Selena? Hey, sis.’

Selena dragged herself into something approaching consciousness but found a genuine smile.

‘Jackson? Oh my word, look how handsome you got!’ She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and squeezed him tightly.

‘You’re as beautiful as ever,’ he laughed, setting her down gently on the bed and sitting down next to her.

She slapped his thigh. ‘Stop it; we both know that I look like shit scraped off a shoe.’

Jackson brushed his blond hair out of his eyes. ‘Then when you’re having a good day you must look amazing.’

Selena flicked his nose. ‘Flatterer, don’t try your silver tongue tricks on me. I see right through you.’ She put her hand on his knee. ‘I’ve missed you.’

‘You never wrote.’

‘You never called.’ Selena brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. ‘What’re you doing back in Trinity, Jackson?’ she asked quietly. ‘He’s going to know you’re here.’

He caught her hand and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. ‘You let me worry about him.’

‘You never took him seriously enough.’ She squeezed his hand. ‘You were so naughty. What did you expect him to do?’

‘Naughty, right. I should’ve ruined lives and murdered people. Stuff like that.’

Selena touched his face with her free hand. ‘People would’ve paid less attention.’

‘Wouldn’t have mattered,’ Jackson said. ‘Trinity is barely big enough for him alone let alone him and me both.’ He chewed his lip as he looked into her face. ‘What happened, sis?’

‘I don’t want to talk about it. Tell me what’s going on with you.’ She smiled more easily. ‘Are you still in Miami?’

‘No, I had a bit of trouble,’ he admitted, pulling a face. ‘Had to go into witness protection. It was a pain in the ass getting to come here, in case I bust my cover.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘Jack’s not supposed to let me out of his sight.’

‘Is he outside? He better be.’

‘No, geez, but what qualifies as “in Jack’s sight” isn’t the same as most people’s anymore,’ Jackson said wryly. ‘Trinity is the last place anyone could sneak up on me.’

***

Caleb put a handful of sandwiches on the table. ‘I was going to get them all, but the rest just sorta faded away.’

‘Neat trick,’ Lucas said.

‘Wish I knew how to do it,’ Jack said wryly. ‘He gestured at Caleb. ‘What’s with the glowing?’

‘I ain’t glowing, am I?’

‘Not to me,’ Lucas said, ‘but I don’t have the affinity for that _kind_ of thing the way that Jack here does.’ He looked at the other man. ‘You see any wings?’

‘Yeah, great big black ones coming out of your back.’ Jack drained his glass and returned to his cooking.

‘Ain’t nobody gonna tell me why Cousin Jack there thinks I’m glowing?’ Caleb asked.

‘Not you,’ Jack corrected. ‘I’ve seen _people_ glowing, even here, but this is just a little thing. Baseball sized.’

Lucas frowned and sat back in his chair. ‘What people here?’

Jack’s only reply was a dirty look.

‘Could it be Merlyn?’ Caleb asked quietly.

‘Your memory of her maybe. Try not to worry about it,’ Lucas said.

‘I’m not going to burst into flames or nothing?’ the boy checked.

‘Cross my heart.’

‘When did you get one of those installed?’ Jack asked.

‘I was speaking poetically. You were always a one for going in for that kind of thing.’

The front door banged open and then shut. Lucas and Jack both tensed for a long moment and then relaxed.

‘I see he still treats doors like the enemy,’ Lucas remarked.

‘Everyone’s in the kitchen, Jackson!’ Jack called, wiping his hands on his jeans.

The man who slouched into the kitchen looked younger than Caleb was expecting. He was tall, blond, and muscular. He was broader than the other two men, although his face was rounder and softer. Caleb thought he had Miss Coombs’s eyes, and the curl of her hair. Caleb felt, rather than saw, Jack tense as Lucas and Jackson eyed each other like cats facing off.

‘Didn’t you promise to stay out of Trinity?’ Lucas asked.

‘Didn’t you promise to take good care of Selena?’ Jackson folded his arms. ‘I thought that was our _deal_.’

A muscle jumped in Lucas’s jaw. ‘She’s alive, ain’t she?’

‘That doesn’t come close to our terms and you know it.’

Lucas pouted and then spoke without moving his eyes from his brother. ‘You and Caleb got somewhere else to be, Jack?’

‘No.’ Jack winked at Caleb. ‘I think we’re pretty good here.’

‘It wasn’t a request.’

Jack rubbed his nose. ‘Well, I’m sure it can’t have been an order. Since you’re in no position to be giving me any of those.’

‘Jack, please, take a hike?’ Jackson asked.

‘If you’re sure.’ Jack nodded at Caleb. ‘Come on kid, since we were asked so nicely.’ 

***

‘This house is so damn creepy,’ Jack remarked as they walked out into the garden. ‘You ever think that?’

‘Yes sir, especially at night.’ Caleb perched on the back-porch wall alongside Jack.

‘That’s a happy thought, maybe while I’m here I’ll get some nighttime.’

‘Huh?’

Jack shook his head. ‘Doesn’t matter.’

‘Are they gonna be okay? Lucas ain’t gonna kill him, is he?’

‘Nah.’ Jack put his hands on the wall and leant back. ‘They’re family and they can drive each other crazy the way nobody else can. Siblings are worse than anything.’

Caleb looked down at his feet. ‘My sister died.’

‘That’s rough.’

‘I miss her.’

Jack bumped their shoulders together. ‘When was it?’

‘Well, properly she died last year but –’ Caleb hesitated, but however normal he looked and however normally he spoke, this was Lucas’s opposite. Heck, he’d made it rain food.

‘But?’

Caleb shrugged. ‘I was still seeing her up until just after Lucas came back. Not just me, neither. Other people saw her too. But not no more. I got some of Lucas’s spirit and I did some real bad stuff.’ He rubbed his eyes. ‘Lucas says that to get me back to being me someone had to be sacrificed.’

‘And it wasn’t going to be him. It wouldn’t be. Your sister was Merlyn then? Which you and Lucas thought might be the light I can see.’

‘Yes sir.’

Jack put his hand on Caleb’s shoulder and squeezed it when the boy leant against him.

‘Do you have other family?’

‘I got Cousin Gail,’ he said and sighed. ‘But I chased her with a poker, and she fell down the stairs.’ He forced himself to look Jack in the eyes. ‘She was pregnant, and Lucas was the daddy.’

Jack squeezed his shoulder again. ‘Probably not your greatest fan right about now.’

‘I figure not.’ He scrubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. ‘Can you tell me how come I went so bad? Merlyn and Lucas, they made it sound like I had a choice to be good or bad, only when it come to it, nobody asked me. Lucas said you didn’t want to be whatever it is we are.’

Jack rubbed his forehead. ‘It’s complicated and I think maybe they both tried to make it easier for you to understand. It’s not one choice. It’s every choice. Every choice you make every day adds up to a… a whole, I guess. It’s not an absolute either, if someone had made different choices than maybe they’d be the one accidentally causing it to rain food. Or if it was Jackson it’d probably be raining plane parts and girly magazines.’

‘Could it have been Jackson instead of you?’

‘Yeah, I mean, you, Lucas, Jackson; you all had the potential to go either way.’ Jack nudged Caleb’s shoulder. ‘You’re special. The rest of us… we are what we are. It’s just a matter of degree. I could never inherit from Lucas. I don’t have it in me to be what he is.’

‘But I do?’ Caleb asked. ‘I never did nothing as bad as all that. Not until we all thought Lucas was dead.’

‘It’s not a judgement, exactly, Caleb. It’s about potential.’ Jack scratched his forehead. ‘You’ve got a lot of anger and bitterness in you, kid. Ignoring that isn’t going to do a damn thing except give it room to breed. You can still avoid stepping in Lucas’s shoes, if that’s what you want. But to do that you have to deal with the anger because it’s a great big target on your back.’

***

‘You’re looking good,’ Lucas said, as Jackson sat down at the table. ‘Being away from home suits you.’

‘You look much the same.’ Jackson lent back in the chair and rested his feet up on the table. ‘Selena looks like she got rode hard and put away wet.’

‘Not by me, your big sister has been expanding her palate since you’ve been away.’

‘‘Scuse me, didn’t I hear you got your _son’s cousin_ pregnant? So that’s at least two women, other than Selena, that you got pregnant. Bit hypocritical even for you.’

Lucas played with his wine glass. ‘You know Selena and me had a… special relationship.’

‘I thought you did. Now she’s telling me you’ve declared war. At each other’s throats and not in your traditional way.’

‘What she did was unforgiveable,’ Lucas growled.

‘She’s done worse for you. Far worse.’ Jackson shook his head. ‘Don’t try to claim any moral high ground. Not with me. I know you too well.’

‘She did this to _me_. Because she was angry.’

‘And you nearly killed her with a fever!’ Jackson stood up suddenly. ‘This was not our deal, Lucas. You promised me you’d look after her and we both know that didn’t mean a fast car and all the tight skirts she could buy.’

‘Don’t tell me what our deal was,’ Lucas growled. ‘Things changed.’

Jackson shook his head. ‘What changed was, with Uncle Joshua in a coma you got complacent. You took her, and Trinity, and your position here for granted.’

Lucas nodded slowly. ‘You might be right there.’ 

Jackson put his hands on his hips. ‘You never told me you had a son.’

‘Wasn’t exactly common knowledge.’

‘I’m not exactly a commoner.’

Lucas nodded. ‘You know what, you’re right. You know me too well. That makes me… uncomfortable.’

Jackson lent on the table. ‘I’m not exactly thrilled about it myself.’

***

‘Hey! Is that a cigarette?’ Caleb asked.

Jack pushed it back inside his pocket. ‘I’m trying to give it up. I forget what I’m doing sometimes,’ he said sheepishly. ‘People tell me it’ll kill me.’

‘I thought you were supposed to be the good one!’

Jack laughed. ‘You think that means I don’t smoke? Never drink? Never have women stay over?’

Caleb flushed. ‘The priest sure would say so.’

Jack grinned at him. ‘You think Lucas _never_ did anything good? We’re… avatars, guides, we’re not mindless slaves to one principle. We couldn’t survive if we were.’

‘Sure is complicated.’

‘I know, and this isn’t even scratching the surface.’ Jack rustled through his pockets to find a pen and a scrap of paper. ‘I’m going to give you my contact details for when I go back home. You can get in touch with me any time with any questions. Okay?’

Caleb took the paper, folded it, and put it carefully inside his wallet. ‘How come you’d do that? Ain’t we kinda on opposite sides?’

‘It’s my nature, I can’t escape it,’ Jack said wryly. ‘Besides, it isn’t that clear cut. I’ve helped Lucas out. He’s helped me. Life isn’t as simple as good and evil.’

The back door banged open and Jackson sprawled against the door frame.

‘You two gonna sit out here all night?’ he asked. ‘I slaved over this meal and it’s going cold.’

‘Hear that?’ Jack asked Caleb. ‘The food _he_ slaved over is going cold.’

***

Caleb watched Jackson as closely as he could without staring. He should probably be more interested in Jack and Lucas, they were real careful not to get too close, but Jackson seemed like his future. He’d grown up in this house, grown up with Lucas, and he’d done it without going completely bad.

Suddenly Jackson looked up, caught Caleb’s eye, and stuck his tongue out. Caleb collapsed into giggles.

‘Glad to see your fine grasp of table manners hasn’t slipped, Jackson,’ Lucas said dryly.

‘Shucked off all my southern manners along with my accent.’

‘What accent you got now?’ Caleb asked.

‘Don’t know but I like it better.’

Caleb looked over at Jack. ‘What about you?’

‘Oh, this is my original accent, Chicago. Kinda funny I guess since I left when I was a kid. Kept the accent though.’

Lucas took a sip of his wine. ‘Heritage is important, Caleb. It’s important to remember where you came from.’

‘Doesn’t mean you gotta like it,’ Jackson said.

***

Caleb pried the nails from his bedroom window, cut through the paint, and pushed the creaking framework until it opened. It wasn’t dark outside; it was… odd. The sky was streaked with both darkness and sunshine. The moon was watery and wavering as the light seem to encroach on it.

Caleb heard low voices down in the garden. He climbed out of the window and swung across to the tree opposite. As his feet found convenient branches, he wondered how many times Lucas had done the same before his father had finally sealed the window up.

Lucas and Jack were in the garden, sat on a bench. From the back it was a struggle to tell them apart.

‘You gotta relax,’ he heard Lucas say.

‘With you sat next to me?’

‘I ain’t your problem, Boy Scout, you’re your problem. I’m just trying to help you out.’

Something lightly struck Caleb’s shoulder. He brushed it away. When it happened again he looked up. Jackson was sat up in the tree above, feet dangling, as he ate peanuts. He made a gesture to Caleb to climb up.

Caleb hesitated. Lucas had said that Jack was the one with the power and that he didn’t know how to control it. But he’d seen himself it was Jackson who made Lucas chariest. Well, Lucas was sat right there so Caleb figured he’d take the risk.

By the time he scrambled up next to his new uncle the sunlight was noticeably faded.

‘Whatchya doing?’ Caleb whispered as he sat on the next branch.

‘Annoying Lucas. It’s pretty fun. You should try it.’

Caleb peered down. ‘From all the way up here?’

‘I’m his little brother. I could annoy him from halfway across town.’ Jackson took a gulp of beer. ‘You’re his son so you could probably annoy him from halfway across the country.’

‘Ain’t you afraid he’ll get mad?’

‘Lucas? No, he’s like the Incredible Hulk, he’s always angry so he doesn’t _get_ angry. Besides, he doesn’t have it in him to hurt me.’ He offered the beer to Caleb who took it.

‘He seems capable of it,’ Caleb said. ‘He’s done some awful things.’

‘Sure, and if he felt it was really necessary then he’d kill me.’ Jackson shrugged. ‘It’d be a last resort and he wouldn’t enjoy it, but he’d do it. He wouldn’t hurt me though. Just like he wouldn’t hurt you.’ He laughed lightly. ‘If he could hurt me then he wouldn’t have needed you.’

Caleb took a sip of beer and handed it back. ‘If he’d hurt you then you’d have been his heir?’

‘Maybe, I’m pretty sure he thinks so.’ Jackson flicked a peanut down towards the two men. ‘Our dad thought that was how it worked.’

Caleb leaned in closer and lowered his voice. ‘He hurt you?’

‘Lucas was supposed to hurt me. Dad hurt him and he was supposed to pass it on.’ Jackson took a gulp of his beer. ‘Jesus, that’s an understatement. I was only little when he died but I remember enough.’

‘How do you mean?’ Caleb asked.

Jackson shrugged exactly the same way Lucas did.

‘I remember a couple times he showed me whatever dad had done and explained it was because I’d spilled something or lost something. But that was all he did while dad was alive. He never beat me, which is what he was supposed to do.’ Jackson rubbed his nose. ‘I’m not saying Lucas is a good guy. He’s not. But physical violence doesn’t interest him. He’ll use it if he feels he has to, but never as anything but a last resort. Dad was born violent to his bones, Lucas... Lucas was born to tempt, to look you in the eye and promise you the earth if you’ll take his hand. That don’t lend itself well to violence.’

Caleb looked down at the two men below. ‘Your daddy beat him?’

‘All the time.’ Jackson fiddled with beer. ‘And the domestic staff, and the deputies, and anyone he arrested. Anyone who looked at him funny.’

What happened to Lucas’s momma?’

‘I never met her; she was dead years when I was born.’ Jackson sipped his beer. ‘Lucas told me she killed herself, jumped from a window. He saw the whole thing.’

‘That’s how my momma died.’

Jackson snorted. ‘Mine too. You could say Lucas has some issues with it.’

‘You think he killed ‘em?’

Jackson leant back against the tree bole and shrugged. ‘I didn’t really know your mom well and mine hardly at all. She got run out of town when I was a couple years old.’ He waggled his eyebrows. ‘Getting run out of town kinda runs in the family.’

‘Lucas run her out of town too?’ Caleb asked.

‘Well he was sixteen, so I figure not, but with Lucas I guess there’s no telling.’

Caleb glanced down into the garden, but Lucas and Jack were no longer visible. Whether that meant they had gone into the house or were just hiding in the darkness he couldn’t tell.

‘How come you ain’t bad?’ he asked.

‘You sound like Selena, “oh Jackson, why you gotta be so naughty”, like hurting people is so much better,’ Jackson said, shaking his head. He gently kicked Caleb’s foot. ‘You’re wondering if living with Lucas is going to make you into some kind of monster.’

‘Yes Sir.’

Jackson swung his legs. He was the youngest of the three by a clear margin, but he had a certain sadness that Lucas didn’t, and that was only hinted at in Jack’s demeanour.

‘I was lucky,’ he said after a few seconds, ‘a hell of a lot luckier than Lucas was. His shtick is choice. He won’t try to force you to do it or anything else. He’ll try to persuade you or tempt you but he’s pretty open about it.’ Jackson rubbed his forehead. ‘Lucas is more complicated than people will try to tell you. More complicated than he’ll admit. After Dad died, he could’ve handed me over to child services. Nobody would’ve blamed him. Who the hell would expect a twenty-one-year-old to raise his seven-year-old half-brother? But he did. He was never gushy, but he was my big brother and I worshipped him. He always listened. He mostly understood. He taught me some pretty terrible lessons, truth be told, but nothing he didn’t genuinely believe.’

Caleb moved a little closer. ‘He was a good brother?’

‘Believe it or not, yeah.’ Jackson finished his beer. ‘You’re a smart kid so you probably already figured out that he’s not capable or love, not any of it. Not just romantic stuff. We can argue whether that was down to being born that way or our dad beating it out of him. S’pose it doesn’t matter. But he can feel affection, liking, and warmth. You and me, we’re probably the closest he’ll ever come to it.’

‘Not Miss. Coombs?’ Caleb asked, chewing his lower lip.

‘Selena?’

‘Yes Sir.’

‘Selena’s different,’ Jackson said quietly. ‘When she’s feeling better, she’ll remember that. He likes me, he likes you, he feels a kind of affection and protectiveness for us. But he doesn’t _need_ us. He’s going to get your cousin Gail pregnant again, and soon. Heck maybe even another that to be on the safe side. But he could find another virtuous woman if he needed. He’s gotten a lot better at it. We’re replaceable, in his eyes. He wants you around, but he _needs_ Selena. He tells her things he couldn’t tell anyone else. He can be honest with her in ways he can’t with your cousin, or me, or anyone else. He needs that. Her needs her and he’s been feeling the loss of it. I’m not sure which one of them will crawl to the other, but one will, and other will be too battered and desperate to let pride get in the way.’

‘Not if he kills her,’ Caleb said.

‘Nah, he can’t do that. Hurt her, sure, torture her even. Make her pay for him needing her and her not being there. For having power over him. Power he gave her. But not kill her, never that.’

Caleb stood up, getting ready to go back inside. ‘How’d they end up like that?’

‘Started with loneliness, bad parents, and a shotgun.’

‘Huh?’

Jackson grinned. ‘It’s late. Ask me again tomorrow.’

‘I will.’ 

***

Jackson wandered into the kitchen and found Jack poking the contents of the fridge.

‘Finished playing footsie with Lucas then,’ Jackson said.

‘Jealous?’

‘You know it.’

Jack turned around; he was holding a carton of milk. ‘You know there’s no call for feeling like that.’

Jackson leant back against the cabinets. ‘He talks to you.’

‘You two have history, that’s what jamming you up. It’s not even original. You didn’t turn out how he hoped so he’s disappointed and you’re hurt. Sit down. Talk. Get over it.’

‘I think I’d rather go get acquainted with his little girlfriend,’ Jackson said impishly.

‘Jesus, do _not_ do that, okay? You wanna get her killed?’

‘You’re no fun.’

‘That’s me, the “good one”, no fun Jack.’ He took a swig of milk. ‘Why don’t you find someone he doesn’t know?’

Jackson snorted. ‘In this town?’

Jack acceded the point. ‘I hope you weren’t filling that boy’s head with a lot of garbage.’

‘You knew we were up there?’

Jack rolled his eyes. ‘Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how _loud_ you think? And Caleb? That kid walks around screaming. I could probably hear him in the next state. It’s a relief to talk to Lucas, at least he’s not coming over no matter what I do.’

‘Not his thoughts anyway,’ Jackson said.

Jack sighed as he shut the fridge door. ‘This again?’

‘There’s no this, now or ever,’ Jackson said. He smiled cutely. ‘I was just having fun with you.’

‘Your fun isn’t funny.’ Jack sat down on the table and watched his cousin. ‘I don’t know what to say to you, Jackson, I’ve been clear and honest and consistent. I know you’re not used to people saying no, but I don’t have a yes to give you.’

‘I was just –’

Jack shook his head. ‘Don’t. It’s insulting to both of us.’

Jackson folded his arms across his chest. ‘You staying in?’

‘Yeah, I have to call into work and do a patch up.’

‘Great, I’m going out and someone should stay in the house with the kid. I’ll bet you ten dollars Lucas is already out lurking outside windows.’ Jackson strolled towards the door.

‘That _kid_ almost killed a woman, and did kill her baby,’ Jack said. ‘Maybe someone should protect me from him.’


	5. Chapter 5

It was a full moon. It was always a full moon in Trinity. Jackson hadn’t seen any other kind until he’d left town. He’d just never noticed before then, there were a lot of things people didn’t notice in Trinity, and they ignored a lot more.

He could feel Jack, just faintly. Not spying, not watching, just one ear open in case of trouble. And there was Lucas on the other side, eyes and ears open but not currently interested. The demon and the angel on each shoulder and Jackson in between. It had been a shock when he’d left town and Lucas’s presence had gradually faded. Lucas had never been exactly reassuring, and never comforting, but he’d been reliable. Jackson rarely asked Lucas for help and resented it when it was imposed to save Lucas from seeming weak, but it had been a safety net.

Now he was back in town, feeling it again, and not knowing how to take it. He’d have liked to have discussed it with Jack, but just seeing the other man had stirred him all up again. He was irritated with himself. They’d kept in touch with phone calls without any issues but as soon as they were physically in the same place… All the same he didn’t think it was purely a physical thing, which would’ve made a narcissist to rival the original. Although he figured that Jack’s immunity to his own, meagre, Trinity inspired skills did seem perversely attractive.

He found himself walking down Main Street, past the sheriff station. He’d spent half his life in there, one way or another. Hadn’t stopped any of ‘em doing their damnedest to run him off the road in whatever car or motorbike he was cruising in. Lucas _had_ got a lot of fresh blood in when he’d taken over. Better to maintain respect. Old Joe Holland and Mitch McGuire had looked the other way over too many broken bones and blood-soaked shirts to be kept around.

The door opened and a deputy wandered out. He was out of uniform, but Jackson recognised him, even if the name was hiding.

‘Whoa!’ he said, stepping back. ‘Don’t sneak up on me like that, you scared the crap out of me. Oh, hey, it’s Jackson, ain’t it? Ben Healey, we spoke on the phone.’

***

They went for a beer and confused the heck out of the drunks in the bar. Jackson thought about seducing the older man; Healey was half expecting it, and it would’ve _really _annoyed Lucas, but Healey was way too vulnerable and delicate to play with. Jackson didn’t have Lucas’s deft touch for judging how far to push someone or Jack’s virtuous sense of doing right. And anyway, sleeping with someone who’d spend the whole time thinking about Lucas would’ve been downright demeaning.

Ben took a long draft of beer and sat back against the seat. ‘Have you been to see Selena?’

‘First thing I did. I’m worried about her.’

‘Yeah, me too.’ Ben snorted. ‘God knows I shouldn’t be. The two of them have done some appalling things and Gail sure didn’t deserve all that. But… Selena seems so crushed. I keep wishing her and Lucas would make up already.’

Jackson swirled the beer around in the bottle. ‘You ever think she might be happier with someone a little less evil?’

Ben laughed and shook his head. ‘Safer sure, happier? No! She tried that with Billy, but I think that was mostly about trying to upset Lucas.’ Ben gave Jackson a knowing look. ‘Always a road to disaster, that one.’

‘He wants me gone, from the earth if possible but he’ll take from Trinity.’ Jackson drained his beer and winked at the barmaid. She scooted over with another and touched his shoulder as she left.

‘Well of course he does,’ Ben said patiently. ‘He’s real jealous of his reputation. He doesn’t want you around reminding people what your daddy was like. Worse, you being around reminds _him_.’ Ben lowered his voice. ‘Besides, you’re a wrecking crew, Jackson, and he doesn’t know any other mostly painless way to deal with you.’

Jackson took a sip of his fresh beer. He could feel Jack, agitated and annoyed about something, and Lucas, fading slightly but in deep concentration. 

‘How does he usually deal with people who kick over his toys?’

‘Oh, he’s gotten real creative since you last saw him.’

***

It had been quite a drive to reach the little bar by the county Marshal’s office, but Lucas enjoyed night-time even if he’d have rather had someone else driving. It was still close enough for him to feel Trinity, sleepy and slowing, as well as both Jackson and Jack gumming up the works.

Marshals were easy spot, even though he generally had little to do with them. Dangerous criminals in Trinity had a tendency not to make it to trial, one way or another, so they never had a chance to escape. The marshal he had his eye on was the one who had her eye on him. She was a tiny little thing, African American, with a pretty, delicate face, and a mind like a buzz saw. She was suspicious, had him pegged as bad news soon as she saw him, and she was uncomfortable as hell with how wet she was getting fantasising about him.

Just his type, he couldn’t abide stupid or weak women. He’d make do if he had to, like poor old Holly G, but he could never warm to them. Whereas smart and strong made his blood fizz.

The deputy marshal’s name was Rachel. She was a little older than she looked, drank neat Scotch, and liked sex rough. That suited Lucas just fine. He had some aggression of his own to work out.

They used both their sets of handcuffs to secure her face down on the bed. She gripped the headboard while he held her petite body above the sheets. She weighed nothing and the way he was holding her gave her no leverage to move or resist. Not even when he gently choked her screams.

She liked that. She liked that a lot. Afterwards she lay panting in the devastation of her bed as he explored her toy box. He’d never used anything himself, not even his hand as the real thing was always easily available. But he would admit they had their uses.

Lucas uncuffed her and then hogtied her, blindfolded her, gagged her, before sliding a rabbit in one welcoming spot and a vibrating butt plug in the other. Rachel writhed a little, as much as she could, and moaned softly when he tortured her breasts and paddled her bare ass with a flogger. Then he left her squirming and squeaking on the bed while he went to use her laptop.

All in all, a successful evening.

***

Ben and Jackson wandered out into the relative coolness of the early morning and blinked as someone screeched and backed away.

‘Floyd? That you?’ Ben asked.

‘No!’ said the hapless Floyd. He watched Jackson as he might regard a basking alligator.

Ben fought to smother a grin. ‘Jackson, you remember Floyd.’

‘No, I don’t think so. How’re you doing Floyd?’ Jackson asked, stepping forward to offer his hand.

It was mean, Ben would be the first to admit it. But there was something mesmerising about the inevitability of Floyd’s outraged surprise propelling him to take Jackson’s hand. Jackson did the ‘second hand on elbow clasp’ that Ben had seen Lucas do. Except Jackson’s version pulled Floyd in _real_ close, while he smiled so angelically, and looked deep into Floyd’s eyes. Ben almost heard the trap snap shut. Well, maybe it’d do Floyd some good. God knew it had to be lonely in that damn closet.

As he walked home, Ben wondered if he should feel a little insulted. Wasn’t he good enough to seduce? He wasn’t sure if he was better looking than Floyd, but he was sure as heck smarter.

But then maybe Lucas would take amiss to someone else playing games with him. ‘Sharing his toys’, as Selena would put it. Would Jackson know that? Was there some invisible, indelible mark of ownership on him?

‘You feeling all right, Ben?’

He almost jumped out of his skin, but it was just Billy Peele.

‘Sorry, lost in thought.’

Billy shook his head. ‘What were you trying to do, look at the back of your own head?’

‘I guess I was,’ Ben laughed. ‘I got turned around a bit having a drink with Jackson. He’s good at that. He’s Lucas’s half-brother, you know?’

Billy looked horrified. ‘He has _siblings_? Wait, Selena was talking about a half-brother called Jackson.’

‘Yeah, it’s a long story.’

***

Caleb tapped on the bedroom door. It was the only one with a light on and, in some unknown way, the only one that felt occupied.

The door was pulled open and Jack, phone clamped to his ear, silently gestured for a moment. Caleb listened to him argue with someone called ‘Herb’, then make a little speech before saying goodbye to America.

‘Sorry about that,’ he said, rubbing his ear. ‘I couldn’t give them enough notice for them to get someone else to cover my slot. I had to do it from here.’

‘You were on the radio just now?’ Caleb asked.

‘Yep.’ Jack stretched and sat down on the bed. ‘There’s a time difference. Did I wake you up?’

‘Nope.’ Caleb sat on the bed near him. ‘I was asleep, but I had this weird dream. It was a tiny little tornado.’

‘Whizzing around town, causing chaos but not much actual destruction?’

‘How’d you know?’

Jack laughed a little. ‘Because Jackson went out a couple hours ago and “tiny little tornado” is a pretty accurate description. There’s absolutely no malice in him but just by existing he seems to spread anarchy.’ Jack paused and leant forward a little bit. ‘He didn’t go near the hospital, did he?’

Caleb shook his head. ‘Don’t think so.’

Jack ran his fingers through his hair. ‘It’s pretty early. Maybe you should get back to bed?’

‘Prob’ly,’ Caleb said easily. ‘Where’s Lucas?’

‘Out somewhere doing no good things for no good reasons. I could likely look and find out, but I don’t think I’d like what I saw.’

‘Huh,’ Caleb said.

‘What?’

Caleb shrugged. ‘He said you were dangerous but that he’d protect me from you. And now he’s nowhere to be seen and you’re the only one in the house.’

‘Protect _you_ from _me_? That’s a hell of a cheek even from him.’

Caleb shrugged. ‘He said you were like a kid with a gun on account of having just inherited.’

‘A kid with a gun, well that’s charming,’ Jack said.

‘He don’t often tell me I should be scared of things or people.’ He scratched his nose. ‘Well that one time we had a plague he got all serious and gave me a mask and a pair of gloves.’

Jack silent for a few seconds. ‘Maybe he has a point. I left the police force because I accidentally shot my partner during a shootout.’

‘Was he okay?’

‘No.’

Caleb sighed. ‘Least yours was on accident.’

‘No less dead for it.’

***

Jackson came home in the same clothes but bright eyed and whistling. As Jack dragged himself off to bed, Jackson commandeered the kitchen.

‘You smell kinda funny,’ Caleb said. ‘Like beer and cigarettes and some other aftershave than the one you wear.’

‘You look funny,’ Jackson said, scowling playfully. ‘What’s that fuzz there? No kinda hair I ever saw.’

Caleb giggled as he opened the fridge. ‘You making fun of my hair? Least it don’t look like something a girl should be wearing.’

Jackson flicked a hair out of his face. ‘Grow up a few years and you’ll learn hair someone can run their fingers through is way more fun than that chia pet you got there.’

Caleb poured himself a glass of milk. ‘Jack said you were out making trouble.’

‘That’s me, trouble with a capital “T”. Anything I do is trouble. Jack’s very like Lucas in that way.’ Jackson cracked a couple of eggs into a pan. ‘I went for a walk, which was very disruptive obviously, and then I got a few beers with Deputy Healey, which was outright rebellious, and then I uh I went on a date. Which is the worst kinda trouble there is.’

Caleb sat back down at the table. ‘You mean you picked up some girl in town and had _sex_. I hope you didn’t do it in the garden like Lucas and Gail. People could see them from the street.’

‘Whoa, really?’

‘Yeah,’ Caleb said heavily. ‘My friend Boone said that his momma said that her friend Emmy said that her babysitter Sophie saw them.’

Jackson shook his head as he continued cooking. ‘There’s a lot of people in that story. A lot of links in the chain.’

‘I guess so.’

‘You’ll be glad to know that I didn’t do nothing in any garden.’ Jackson added bacon and mashed potato to the pan. ‘I wonder if it’s uncomfortable. You want somewhere with a good lawn.’

‘Whole thing seems kinda icky to me,’ Caleb said.

‘That’s on account of you being ten.’ Jackson looked at him. ‘You’re interested in girls, in seeing what they look like underneath.’

‘No!’

Jackson raised his eyebrows. ‘No? So you never tried to see some lady with her shirt off? That’s not cool, by the way. You can get in serious trouble doing that.’

Caleb pouted. ‘How’d you know about that?’

‘I got my ways.’ Jackson dished up the food and sat down.

‘Oh.’ Caleb pushed his fork around his plate. ‘You gonna lecture me about waiting ‘til I’m married?’

Jackson nearly choked on a mouthful of food. When he finished coughing, he grabbed a glass of water and drank it down in one go.

‘That a no?’ Caleb asked dryly.

‘Very definitely no. Not even Jack would tell you that one.’ Jackson ate a mouthful of food. ‘You got any questions? I don’t know about your cousin Gail, but Lucas don’t got the healthiest view of relationships. Romance, friendship, or any other type.’

Caleb shovelled food into his mouth. ‘How about that story you started last night. Lucas and Selena and a shotgun?’

Jackson looked at him. ‘Okay.’ He put his knife and fork down. ‘I didn’t see most of it. I was a kid. But I read the reports and talked to Lucas and Selena. What I know is that there’d been bad blood between the reverend and the sheriff. You know that our dad was the sheriff before Lucas?’

‘Nope. Lucas ain’t hardly told me nothing about his family.’

Jackson shrugged. ‘I don’t imagine it’s a big deal. Anyway, the reverend and our dad hated each other for valid reasons. So, when Selena played truant a few times our dad used it as an excuse to have Lucas escort her to and from school. He knew that’d drive the reverend crazy.’

Caleb swallowed a mouthful of food. ‘Why?’

Jackson twirled the fork in his fingers. ‘Because nobody wants their teenage daughter spending all that time around Lucas.’

Caleb smirked. ‘Oh. He had all the girls swarming around when he was younger too?’

‘Fraid so.’ Jackson shrugged easily.

‘He didn’t do nothing to her did he?’

‘Nothing she didn’t want,’ Jackson said. He scratched his forehead. ‘So, then the reverend got taken in hospital with a bust appendix or spleen or some damn thing. Who’s going to look after her when she’s got no other family? The reverend nearly coughed up a lung when he heard that she was staying with us. What a nightmare for the guy. It was the first time I met her. I’d never really met any women outside of the staff at the house. She was like a bolt from the sky. Anyhow, when the reverend got out of the hospital he came storming here. That was when the tempest blew up. Thunder, lightning, and torrential rain. I was just a kid, I got scared. Lucas asked Selena to get me into my room. She stayed with me maybe five minutes but there was screaming and cursing outside the door fit for an asylum. Selena went off to see what was happening. More worried about Lucas than her dad. Her dad barely paid her any heed, and her motherless. But Lucas always had a real gift for being a friend to the friendless. Big thing for a lonely girl.’

‘What happened?’ Caleb whispered.

‘Depends who you ask. All I know is, the reverend, he had a shotgun and that thing blew a hole in my dad, in the stairs, and in a chunk of wall. I came out of my room and saw them all stood round the body: the reverend crying, Lucas covered in blood, and Selena holding that shotgun.’ Jackson was silent for a moment. ‘I saw… something. Something dark and big lift off of my dad and settle on Lucas, like a shroud. He wasn’t the same after. Colder. Harder.’

‘That the rage thing?’ Caleb asked.

‘I honestly don’t know. I was seven years old, scared to death, and not knowing what the hell was going on. Maybe I saw something real. Maybe I imagined it.’ Jackson licked his lips. ‘But, I know he looked at me. Right after it happened, Lucas turned and looked at me clear as you’re looking at me. I hadn’t made a sound. He just suddenly knew I was there.’

Caleb shivered and gulped his soda.

‘Anyway, that weren’t the kind of question I was meaning you might want to ask,’ Jackson complained. ‘I was thinking more birds and bees kinda thing.’

‘That was you were doing last night, some bird and bees thing?’ Caleb asked.

Jackson lent back in his chair. ‘More a bees and bees thing,’ he said, watching Caleb closely.

‘How’s that?’

‘Oh, you heard me,’ he said. ‘I’m a bee who likes the birds and the bees both. And don’t go acting all disgusted or horrified. Not with the stuff you’ve done, and the things Lucas has done.’

Caleb shrugged. ‘You don’t look like no fruit to me.’

‘Just a guy,’ Jackson said easily. ‘Though I don’t know what you think a “fruit” looks like.

‘Guess I don’t know.’ Caleb watched him over the lip of his glass. ‘Is it a secret?’

‘Nope, never was.’ Jackson took a bite of his food. ‘But it isn’t the be all and end of all of my life either. So no calling me “Fruity Jackson”, you hear?’ 

‘No Sir.’ Caleb tried not to stare. ‘Does Lucas know?’

‘Sure. You think he’d bother about a thing like that?’

Caleb shrugged. ‘Guess I don’t know. He don’t?’

‘Nope. And as long as I’m not hurting anyone, I don’t see any reason to make excuses or apologies for it.’

Caleb sucked his fork. ‘But Jack don’t know?’

Jackson laughed softly. ‘Oh, it’s no secret. But you might say that Jack knows better than most who I find appealing.’

‘You’re in love with Jack!’

‘Boy, you _are_ Lucas’s son.’

‘You better believe it,’ Lucas’s voice said.

That time Caleb nearly did jump, but Jackson just sighed.

‘Glad you finally turned up,’ Jackson said, standing up and heading for the door.

‘Where you going?’ Lucas asked.

‘See my sister, if that’s okay with you.’ He rolled his eyes at Caleb and strolled away.

Lucas moved over to the stove and dished out some food for himself. ‘He’s just a ball of sunshine.’

‘I think I upset him,’ Caleb admitted. ‘I kept forgetting just ‘cos they look like you don’t mean they think like you.’

Lucas sat down opposite him. ‘Cousin Jack take care of you last night?’

‘Yes Sir, he’s real nice.’ Caleb glanced at Jackson’s empty seat.

Lucas followed his gaze. ‘Been boo-hooing on your shoulder, has he?’

‘No, he don’t seem like the boo-hooing sort.’

‘Well that’s an improvement. Weren’t nobody Jackson couldn’t win over with his big cow eyes and quivering lower lip.’

Caleb grinned. ‘Except for you?’

‘About the size of it.’ Lucas took a bite of his food. ‘Don’t work so well on Jack neither. Ironic, really, Jack’s usually the first to believe every kind of sob story. I guess it’s being immune to Jackson’s charms that makes him so enticing.’ Lucas took a sip of his coffee. ‘That or a raging case of narcissism.’

‘What’s that mean?’

‘Like, you think you’re so beautiful or handsome that you fall in love with yourself, or someone who looks almost exactly like you.’

Caleb finished off his food. ‘But they don’t act alike or talk alike.’

‘You’re right, and I’m impressed you figured that physical appearance ain’t the most important part of sexual attraction. Plenty of adults never learn that one.’

‘You making fun of me?’

Lucas shook his head. ‘No, never.’


	6. Chapter 6

Caleb settled into the seat beside Lucas and pulled on his seatbelt.

‘How come you left me with Jack if he’s so dangerous?’

Lucas glanced across at him. ‘If you were at risk, I would know it and I would be there to protect you.’

Caleb folded his arms. ‘Seems like a weird thing to do, leaving him there with me. That’s all.’

‘You got questions,’ Lucas said with a shrug. ‘Questions about me, about how all this works, but you don’t wanna ask me. That’s okay. I ain’t gonna try to make you do anything you don’t want to. So, I figure maybe you can ask Jack instead.’

‘I don’t ask you because you tell me lies.’

Lucas smiled slightly. ‘A little blunt, don’t you think?’

‘It’s true, ain’t it?’ Caleb shrugged. ‘Don’t mean to be rude about it.’

‘There’s ways of telling the truth and ways of telling the truth, and then there’s telling lies. Which, by and large, are much more agreeable to all concerned.’

Caleb smiled slightly. ‘Meaning it’s okay to lie.’

Lucas shrugged. ‘You uh, you talk to Jackson much?’

‘Some.’

Lucas raised his eyebrows. ‘Some, huh? Well that’s okay, I’m not going to press. You can make your own choices. He ain’t exactly what I’d call a great role model but he’s your family right enough. Maybe it’ll be good for you to know him, even if he does figure he’s Little Red Riding Hood and I’m the Big Bad Wolf.’

‘He never said nothing like that. He mostly says how good a brother you were.’

‘What?’

It was the first time Caleb had seen Lucas genuinely thrown off balance. Even when he’d been held at gunpoint, he’d seemed poised and in control. No wonder he didn’t want his family in town if they could have this effect on him. 

‘That’s what he says. He says you didn’t have to keep him after your daddy died. You could’ve given him to child protective services.’

Lucas shook his head. ‘Child protective services? He was seven years old and frightened of his own shadow. Daddy dead and momma in the wind, of course I looked after him. He’s my family.’

‘Uh huh. And then you ran him out of town,’ Caleb said. ‘You gonna do that to me one day?’

Lucas parked the car outside the school and turned to Caleb. ‘I can’t claim to be happy running Jackson out. He’s my brother. But… he couldn’t stay in town and that was his own fault. Running him out was the kindest thing.’

‘For him or you?’

‘For both.’

***

Billy Peele watched them scraping the name from the glass door. Logically he knew that Lucas couldn’t possibly have strung up the older man. He couldn’t have had the strength. But logic had nothing to do with it. He and Ben had dug the son of the bitch up and now the doctor was dead, and Selena was in the psych ward. He wasn’t even sure didn’t believe Lucas was responsible for Gail’s injuries, though she was sure it was Caleb.

Someone was whistling. Billy turned just in time to see a young man stroll down the hall towards him. He had Lucas’s face and Selena’s eyes, but his walk was all his own. He was wearing ridiculously tight jeans, that showed he had _nothing_ to be embarrassed about, and a sleeveless, tight black t-shirt.

‘You can’t visit for another hour,’ Billy said. Ben had made several vague-to-the-point-of-useless warnings about the persuasive powers of Lucas’s family, but Billy had never found Lucas very persuasive either.

‘That so?’ the young man asked, smiling easily. ‘That for your benefit or the patients?’

‘It’s the hospital rules.’ It was a stupid answer. He didn’t know why he’d said it, except that Jackson, and from Ben’s description he had to be, was making him deeply uneasy in a way not even Lucas managed.

‘Ah, rules,’ Jackson said lightly. He walked right up to Billy, up in his personal space and stood far too close. ‘You don’t seem like a man who plans his life by rules.’

Billy was too stubborn to take a step back, however much he wanted to. ‘You must be Jackson; I’ve been told about you.’

‘Fame at last,’ Jackson smiled lazily. ‘You’re Billy Peele, I’ve been told about you.’ He kept looking into Billy’s eyes and at his mouth. If it was an attempt at intimidation, then it was working. He was a little shorter than Billy but muscular and too ready to ignore social taboos.

‘If it was Selena then you should know that she has a grudge against me.’

Jackson shrugged. ‘My sister is in the frame of mind that says killing herself is a good idea. I figure probably she should get all the support and all the visitors that she wants.’

Billy tensed as Jackson touched his wrist. Heat was radiating from Jackson’s skin and his touch burnt. ‘That okay with you, Doc Peele?’

‘You don’t frighten me.’

‘Gee, I hope not. That’s not my bag at all.’ Jackson grinned and jumped up onto the reception desk. He settled himself on the desk and crossed his legs at the ankle. ‘Did you know that according to studies _most_ people are bisexual, even if just a little itty bit. Isn’t that interesting? Like, way more than are just gay or are just straight.’

Billy swallowed. ‘I have zero idea what your point is.’

‘Ben told you about me, huh? I think he was a little sore I didn’t make a pass at him last night. But he’s been in puppy love with Lucas since forever and that’d be kinda… gross.’ Jackson leaned back and idly kicked his legs, drawing attention to his crotch. ‘You gonna let me visit or do I have to make it worth your while?’

***

It was a relief to check up on Gail.

‘What’s up with you?’ she asked.

‘Just had a visit from Lucas’s baby brother,’ Billy said. ‘It was… disturbing.’

‘He’s in the hospital? What’s he like? I couldn’t get Lucas to tell me much. I’m pretty sure there’s some bad blood there,’ she said.

‘Now you’re sounding more like a reporter,’ Billy opened the curtain. ‘I’m not sure if he threatened me or made a pass at me.’

***

It was a beautiful morning and Ben was having trouble keeping his eyes open. He shouldn’t have gone for that drink with Jackson, shouldn’t have had another drink when he got home, should have lain in bed with his dick in his hand trying to think about Rita.

Fingers ruffled his hair and caressed the back of his neck, teasing and just tickling. Ben’s head lolled. So good. Felt so good. Even the other hand sliding into pants felt good. Long fingers wrapping around his dick.

Ben awoke with a start and nearly fell from his chair.

‘We disturbing you, Deputy?’ Lucas asked, he was lounging against the opposite wall.

‘Uh, sorry I…’ Ben registered the wet patch at the front of his trousers. He stared at his crotch and then over at Lucas.

‘What’s up, Ben, you pee your panties?’

‘That is not pee.’

Lucas walked over and looked down at Ben’s crotch for a disturbingly long time. ‘Hmm, wonder what that could be?’

Ben sighed as he stood up. ‘I s’pose this is because I went for a drink with Jackson last night? Nothing happened.’

‘Huh, probably for the best. He’s way too fast for you.’

Ben snorted. ‘Why is it that it seems the only time I get any… action, it’s because someone is trying to mess with me? If it ain’t Selena, then it’s… this.’

Lucas shrugged. ‘Maybe you should ask yourself why people feel the need to mess with you.’ He tapped Ben on the butt with a rolled-up newspaper. ‘Best get changed, we don’t want the good citizens seeing what a horndog you are.’

‘Me!’

***

‘Ain’t it too early for you to be visiting?’ Selena asked, propping herself up in the bed.

‘You know that’s what your lover boy tried telling me,’ Jackson said, sitting on the side of her bed. ‘Changed his mind awful quick though.’

‘I’m frightened to ask what you did to him,’ she asked dryly.

‘Hey, this is me, not Lucas.’ Jackson flicked her nose with his finger. ‘I asked him nicely and when that didn’t work, I batted my eyelashes at him.’

‘And that worked?’ she asked disbelievingly.

‘He’s not real secure in his sexuality, it got him all nervous. So, yeah, worked great.’

‘Trust me, Jackson, Billy Peale is not interested in men,’ Selena sniffed.

‘He’s the one who needs convincing,’ Jackson said. ‘So, when’re they letting you out of here?’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Rate I’m going, never.’ She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. ‘If I was married, they’d let me go home. If I was married, then I wouldn’t be here would I?’

‘If you were married to Lucas, you’d have been here years ago,’ Jackson said quietly. ‘He’s no good for you, Sis.’

‘You think that was ever something I didn’t know?’ Selina poured herself a beaker of water. ‘First time I laid eyes on him I knew he was bad news. First time he kissed me I knew he’d be the death of me.’ She took a sip. ‘I just figured he’d at least kill me before he replaced me. Is that too much to ask for?’

Jackson squeezed. ‘Honestly? Yeah, for him.’

‘Jackson!’

‘What do you want to hear? He can’t love you, but he’d never willingly let you go neither. You’re too important to him. I can’t say that seems like a good thing to me but it’s what it is.’

Selena rolled the beaker between her palms. She was never sure how much to believe her half-brother. Not because he was malicious but because he was not averse to saying what he thought people wanted to hear, or what he thought was better for them to hear.

‘They’d let me go home if someone said they’d be at home to look after me,’ Selena said, chewing her lower lip.

‘That so?’ Jackson stroked the back of her hand.

‘You wouldn’t have to stay. They’d never know either way.’

‘Sis, if I tell them I’m going to stay then I’ll stay. I’m not going to help you kill yourself.’

***

At lunchtime Caleb persuaded Boone to come back to the mansion. The other boy had been downright mean about Caleb’s stories and Caleb felt like showing off. As they parked their bikes in the driveway, a whole stream of people exited the back door.

‘Who’re they?’ Boone whispered.

‘Cleaners and stuff, I figure. It’s a big house and I don’t reckon Lucas ever used a vacuum cleaner in his life.’

Boone giggled and followed Caleb into the house. ‘I hope you ain’t lying about it bein’ okay you being here. This place is scary.’

‘I ain’t lying.’

‘It just seems really weird is all.’

‘Are you boys going to stay there arguing all day?’ someone yawned.

They jumped, looking around fruitlessly until the owner of the voice cleared his throat. Caleb looked up and grinned.

‘Hey Cousin Jack.’

‘Hey yourself.’ He was leaning over the balcony and looking down at them.

It was pretty clear to Caleb that he’d just woken up as he was shirtless, and his hair was ruffled.

‘This is my buddy Boone, we’re on lunch.’

‘Did we wake you up?’ Boone asked incredulously.

‘Pretty much.’

‘You some kind of hippy?’

Jack laughed and stood up. ‘I’m some kind of night worker. I didn’t go to bed until six am.’

‘Sorry we woke you up,’ Caleb said.

Jack shrugged and strolled down the stairs. He was wearing jeans, which was a relief. ‘You want some lunch?’

‘Yes Sir.’

Boone gasped as he registered Jack’s facial features. ‘He looks just like the sheriff!’

‘Wash your mouth out, he’s got eight years on me.’ 

***

Boone guzzled a glass of sweet tea as Caleb watched Jack making coffee.

‘Cousin Jack, I was kinda hoping to talk to you,’ Caleb said quietly. ‘I’ve been thinking about what you said about doing good stuff.’

‘Shoot.’ Jack turned around to face him.

Caleb licked his lips. ‘I was wondering maybe if you could help out this doctor friend of mine. Doctor Matt. He went kinda crazy and got locked up in Juniper House.’

‘He tried to shoot the sheriff,’ Boone said through a mouthful of tea.

‘Yeah? Did he shoot the deputy?’ Jack asked.

‘Huh?’

Jack rubbed his forehead. ‘Boone, is it? Would you give us five minutes? There’s a TV in the living room and you can take your drink with you.’

Boone shot a look at Caleb, who shrugged. ‘Sure thing, Sir.’

‘I cannot get over how polite you boys are,’ Jack said lightly. He licked his lips. ‘Okay, so, what happened with this doctor?’

‘Lucas did something to him. Made him crazy.’ Caleb shifted his feet. ‘When it happened, I thought that Doctor Matt was just sick. But now I know it was Lucas. I know what it smells like when Lucas has done something.’

Jack folded his arms. ‘Why’d you think that getting him out of the hospital is the right thing to do?’

‘Doctor Matt is a good guy! He was always trying to stop Lucas from spending time with me. Lucas did something to him to drive him crazy. You gonna help me or not?’ Caleb asked.

‘Cool your jets, I’m just trying to work out the facts. See, there’s rules, more or less. It seems to me like maybe your doctor friend did a deal with Lucas. If that’s the case, then I can’t interfere. But Jackson can. Breaking the rules is kind of his whole point in life.’

Caleb scowled. ‘Doctor Matt wouldn’t do a deal with Lucas.’

‘Either he did, or Lucas wasn’t responsible.’ Jack shrugged. ‘See, Lucas can’t just randomly hurt anyone, not in any way a regular person couldn’t. Driving someone into a psychotic episode that does sound like something he’d do sure enough, but it’d be punishment for reneging on a deal. I can’t interfere with that.’ He rubbed his chin with his thumb. ‘Do you have a photo of him?’ 

‘I can get one from the paper. Why?’

‘You do that, and I’ll be able to tell you if there was a deal and if Lucas was responsible.’ Jack shrugged. ‘If I can help you or not.’

‘You don’t have to meet him or nothin’?’ Caleb asked.

‘Nope. Photograph’ll do it.’

***

Lucas arrived as they were making sandwiches. ‘Ain’t this cosy? How you doin’ Boone?’

‘Uh, pretty good, Sir.’

Lucas gave Jack the side eye. ‘That’s your ensemble for the day?’

Jack winked at the boys. ‘If you can’t take the competition…’

‘Go put some clothes on.’

‘We woke him up,’ Caleb said, as Jack walked away.

Lucas shook his head. ‘I suppose he was up all night on his radio show.’

‘Yep.’

‘He used to have a real job once.’ Lucas sprawled into a chair.


	7. Chapter 7

Jackson was strolling down towards the entrance when he saw a drawn, dark-haired woman leaning back against a wall next to a door. She was dressed in a pair of loose linen trousers and a soft cotton blouse, but her feet were bare. As he drew closer, Jackson caught her eye. She tensed but she wasn’t surprised. Jackson felt Lucas stir a little, almost automatically. Well, he figured he knew who this had to be.

‘Jesus, when Billy Peele said you looked like Lucas, I had no idea he meant it so literally,’ she said. ‘I’m Gail.’ 

‘Jackson Crane.’ He offered his hand and she flinched. ‘Don’t do handshakes?’

‘I let Lucas take my hand once,’ Gail said, ‘it wasn’t a good decision.’

‘I get that.’ Jackson tucked his hands in his pockets. ‘I’m not Lucas.’

‘That’s what you say.’

Jackson shrugged. ‘Ask anyone who knows us.’

‘I’m asking you,’ Gail said.

‘Are you though? Seemed like a… what do you call it? A rhetorical question.’ Jackson pointed at the door. ‘That your room?’

‘Maybe.’

Jackson unwrapped a stick of gum. ‘You’re a hardboiled egg, aren’t you?’

Gail shrugged. ‘Twenty minutes. Your family hasn’t exactly been good news for my family.’

Jackson leant against the wall. ‘My family or Lucas? ‘Cos the two things aren’t exactly the same. I have plenty of relatives who aren’t him.’ He popped a stick of gum into his mouth.

‘Like who?’

‘You want to discuss this in the corridor?’ Jackson asked.

Gail crossed her arms tightly. ‘I’m not comfortable talking to you in a room with a bed.’

Jackson laughed and shook his head. ‘That’s insulting on about six different levels, so I’m going to get going,’ he said, starting to walk away. 

‘No, wait,’ Gail said quickly. ‘I really need to talk to you.’

‘Oh well, if it’s what _you _need then naturally I’ll drop everything.’

Gail held up her hands. ‘I’m sorry. Between Lucas and Caleb, I’m a little twitchy. I certainly shouldn’t take that out on you.’

Jackson shrugged. ‘Can’t blame you for that but I’m pretty sure Lucas would pitch a fit if we had any kind of conversation about him in a corridor.’

‘I think that might be worth seeing,’ Gail said.

‘Look, I gotta hit the bricks but I’ll see you again. We can talk when you’re ready to not figure me for Lucas part two.’

***

It wasn’t Wednesday. Matt wasn’t always sure about a lot of things, but he was sure about that. It wasn’t Wednesday so why was he being brought out of his room?

But he wasn’t being taken to the visitation room either and he wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing. There was a lot of muttering between the orderlies and one of them, an asshole called Johnson, called him ‘Mr. Crower’, only for another to correct him to doctor. They never used honorifics with the patients.

He was bustled into the director’s office where he saw Lucas waiting for… no. It was someone who looked a _lot_ like him, wearing Lucas’s clothes and affecting his swagger, but it wasn’t him. The clothes were too tight as if the man wearing them was broader than their owner, and the hair was too dark, and too short. It was strangely uniform in colour. Dyed, Matt was sure. But more than all that, he was too young. At least ten years younger, although Matt supposed a lot of people would simply have taken in the clothes, voice, and stance without closely scrutinising the face.

‘Ah, here he is,’ the director said. ‘Doctor Crower, Sheriff Buck here is going to be your recognisance. You’re being released on a trial basis.’

‘Try not to shoot me, eh Doc?’ 

He’d done some research then, but not enough. Not enough to know that Lucas had a very specific way of addressing him.

Everything moved very quickly. The fake Lucas was pushing things along as fast as he could without raising suspicion. Worried he’d be exposed. Worried the real Lucas would appear in a puff of smoke like a pantomime devil.

As they walked into the sunshine, Matt saw a trickle of sweat run down the side of his face. Lucas’s customary shirt, vest, and jacket combo was clearly too much for his doppelganger.

‘Who are you?’ Matt murmured. ‘And please don’t say a friend.’

The man took his elbow and gently steered him through a neat line of trees. ‘You don’t wanna be friends?’ His voice was suddenly lighter, softer, and with no trace of Lucas’s southern lilt.

‘I appreciate the help, but I’d rather not die horribly when he finds out.’

They stepped out into a field. There was a rushing river babbling in the still air, and a bright yellow sports car parked in the grass. Selena Coombs put down the novel she was reading and smiled.

‘And you were worried nobody would believe you,’ she said, shaking her head.

Matt flinched as the fake Lucas disrobed in a hurry.

‘I am gonna melt.’ He ran into the river and dived into the cool, clear water.

‘Always so dramatic,’ Selena sighed. ‘How you doin’ Doc Crower?’

‘I’m a little confused,’ Matt allowed. He walked over to her. ‘Do I have to thank you for this?’

‘Me, Jackson, and Caleb. It was his idea.’ She stroked a lock of hair behind her ear. ‘Caleb is feeling the need to invest in a little karma.’

‘Who is that man?’

‘Oh, Jackson? I’ll explain on the way into town.’

Matt turned as Jackson emerged naked from the river, water gleaming on his skin.

‘You get all the dye out?’ Selena asked.

‘Yeah, pretty much.’ He pushed the hair back off his face and smiled as he caught Matt staring. ‘Like what you see, Doc?’

‘Lucas isn’t going to take this lying down,’ Matt warned, looking away.

***

‘Where am I supposed to go?’ Gail asked, as starched and severe medical staff packed away her things and ushered her into a wheelchair.

‘Home with me,’ Lucas said. He was lounging against a wall. ‘If you’re healthy enough to harangue my kin in the hallway then you’re well enough to be cared for at my house.’

Gail gripped the arms of the wheelchair. ‘Hang on, I never agreed to stay in your house. Is Caleb going to be there?’

Lucas strolled over and tipped up her chin. ‘Darlin’, nobody is going to hurt you. Not on my watch. You wanna get out of this hospital room; you can. Come home with me and you’ll have all the comforts, and medical attention, and not least of all you can ask all kinds of impertinent questions. Don’t that sound like a deal and a half?’ He grinned. ‘Metaphorically speaking.’ 

‘I’m going home as soon as I’m better.’

‘Absolutely, wouldn’t have it any other way.’ Lucas gestured at a nurse, and they began wheeling Gail to the door.

‘And I can talk to your family?’

‘To your heart’s content.’

***

Gail waved away the nurse and climbed out of bed. She knew what was going on. She was being nursed back to fertility, not to health. Gotta get the prize breeder back up to scratch. She didn’t know why Lucas needed her when he had Selena, he’d had Holly, and she’d heard rumours of a dozen other women. Whatever way he dressed it up, it was no way to make her feel valued.

She stood at the top of the staircase. It didn’t look so far down. She’d slid down taller staircases than this. It was hard to imagine a child sliding down this one, wasn’t it? Why was it then, that when she looked out of the corner of her eye, she almost saw a young boy, giggling as he climbed onto the balustrade? Why did she see the shadowy form of a young man indulging that child in his caprice? The house hardly seemed the place for a child, for warmth or for whimsy. It was a dark, cloying, and oppressive. The place her baby died.

An enormous rip snorting snore shredded the air and set her laughing. It was coming from one of the bedrooms. Someone snoring at eleven in the morning, all right for some. She was damn sure it wasn’t Lucas. She doubted that he slept, and snoring was far too human a thing for him to do.

Gail tapped on the bedroom door, not sure why she was doing it. The snoring stopped abruptly. Light flooded the house, forcing her to close her eyes. She heard, rather than saw the bedroom door open.

‘Hello?’ croaked a male voice.

Gail blinked away the searing brightness. The man was still half asleep, half naked, and almost completely Lucas’s double.

‘I’m…I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I was going to make some coffee. Would you like some?’

‘Time is it?’

‘Just after eleven.’

He shrugged. ‘‘Kay.’

***

She gripped the balustrade as she walked downstairs. It was still too light and too bright. She could actually make out the features in the tiny photographs on the shelf. There weren’t many pictures. Whoever had decorated, a long time ago, had preferred animal themes and classical art. She doubted Lucas had stamped his mark on the décor, there weren’t enough references to his own ‘successes’.

She was in the kitchen trying to master Lucas’s insanely complicated, and doubtless expensive, coffee machine when the snorer wandered in. He hadn’t put on any more clothes, he was still wearing paisley boxers and a confused expression, but he’d run his fingers through his hair.

Interesting priorities.

‘Filter,’ he muttered.

‘What?’

He gently moved her aside, put a filter into the machine, and did a dozen other things with an ease born of practice. He did stop halfway through to yawn loudly.

‘I’m Gail Emory,’ she said, holding out her hand.

‘Jack.’

***

He was still yawning and blurry with tiredness when they sat down at the table.

‘So you’re the cousin?’

‘Yeah, sorry, I work nights,’ he said, waving his hand.

‘I must admit it was a surprise finding out that Lucas had relations other than Caleb. I assumed he was born of a she-goat at the full moon or something.’

Jack grinned. He had a nice grin, very boyish. Nothing like Lucas’s smirks.

‘Lucas is older than me,’ Jack said, ‘so maybe.’

Gail added milk and sugar to her coffee. ‘This is such a depressing house. I can’t imagine growing up here.’

‘Didn’t use to be.’ Jack took a big gulp of his coffee. ‘After their dad died it was pretty fun for a while. Jackson could’ve nearly killed himself tobogganing down the stairs.’

‘Was he okay?’

‘Bumps and bruises,’ Jack shrugged. ‘You grow up with Lucas as your big brother and you don’t get away with _anything_. But you never quite face the full consequences. Their dad had been such a bastard that I think Lucas overcompensated a little.’ Jack got up and topped off his coffee. ‘Not that saying “no” was ever something he was much interested in.’

Gail snorted. ‘Indulgence and enticement even with his little brother.’

‘Sad thing is that I’m sure he genuinely did what he thought was best for Jackson. Just like he’ll do what he genuinely thinks is best for Caleb. Lucas is rarely malicious. He’s warped as hell. His perception is skewed but it’s come by honestly, weird as that might sound.’

Gail rested her chin on her hand. ‘What’s he like?’

‘Jackson?’

‘Mmm. In himself I mean; I know there’s a hell of a family resemblance.’

Jack rubbed his forehead. ‘He always seems kinda… lost to me. He’s a good guy but he’s always looking for something. He falls in love all the time, or he thinks he does. He never knew his mom and his dad was a violent psychopath. Only person who showed him any affection growing up was Lucas. He didn’t meet Selena until he was what… seven? I’m sure she loved him in her way but when she had to choose between him and Lucas, she chose Lucas.’

‘Poor guy.’ Gail played with her cup.

‘It’s complicated with them. In some ways they’re more like father and son than siblings. There’s a lot of baggage there. Don’t get between them. There’s a real fine line between how far Jackson will go to annoy Lucas, and when his loyalty will kick in.’

‘Lucas wants to try for another baby.’ She didn’t know why she said it, except that something about him invited confession.

Jack looked at her. ‘What do you want?’

‘Good question.’ She let him take the cup and top it off. ‘I have a great many ambivalent feelings about Lucas.’

‘Join the club.’

She smiled slightly and then shook her head. ‘But losing the baby was hard. I hadn’t wanted him at first but… I grew to.’

Jack lent back against the counter. ‘There’s no rush is there?’

‘I’m not sure it’s my choice,’ she said quietly. ‘The illusion of free will. I have a feeling that he’s just allowing me the semblance of a choice. I don’t know what he’d do if I said no. The last time I tried to leave town I ended up in hospital.’

Jack winced. ‘When you made your deal, what was your side?’

‘What makes you think I made a deal with him?’

He shrugged. ‘I didn’t used to be able to tell but now…’

‘I’m not sure,’ she said. ‘I think that’s the worst part of it, that I was so stupid. I don’t know if I signed away my body or if I sleepwalked into signing up as a baby machine.’

Jack warmed his hands on his cup. ‘You’re Judith Temple’s niece, right?’

‘Did you know her?’

‘A little.’

Gail licked her lips. ‘I know that he raped her.’

‘Do you know why?’ Jack asked.

‘I don’t even know if he intended her to get pregnant.’

‘That was the whole point.’ He sat back down. ‘She made a deal and when he came to collect, she tried to renege. Lucas could’ve seduced her over time I’m sure, but she reneged so he punished her. Rules.’

‘Lucas has rules?’ Gail scoffed.

‘There are rules he obeys. Lucas punishes. I don’t. I’m more of a forgiveness guy.’

Gail folded her arms and looked at him, really looked at him closely. ‘What are you?’

‘Lucas’s cousin,’ he said, and held up a hand. ‘The same and the opposite. I can’t tell you much more than that. If I tell you more, if I explain, then he’ll know that you know. It wouldn’t be safe for you.’

Gail looked away, out of the window. ‘She made a deal?’

‘Yeah.’

‘What was her end?’

‘A baby, what else?’ Jack shrugged. ‘She was in love with Gage Temple and Lucas had him bang to rights on an arson, two people dead. Deal was Gage went free and they’d raise the baby until Lucas decided he wanted to step forward. Lucas kept his end but Judith, well, understandably she had second thoughts.’

‘Those people that died were my _parents_. How do you know all this? Couldn’t you do something to help her?’ Gail demanded.

Jack shook his head. ‘I gotta tell you what Uncle Joshua told her; she made a deal with Lucas. She made that choice of her own volition and that put her past his help. Puts you past my help.’ He made a rocking gesture with his hand. ‘Some things we have some leeway on, your uh your “act of god” stuff. But not this kind of thing.’

Gail shook her head. ‘Because Lucas and you have _rules_.’

‘Nuh uh, they aren’t our rules. They’re imposed on us, if you get my drift, and we’re both bound by them. Much as he’d be loath to admit it.’ Jack played with the handle of his cup. ‘If I could protect you from him I would. I can get you all the regular help that a cop could get you since I used to be a cop. I can talk to you, I can give you advice, but I can’t… intervene. Even if you change your mind and he punishes you for it.’ He shook his head and sighed. ‘I physically can’t, any more than Lucas can hurt someone under my aegis.’

Gail rubbed her forehead. ‘And there’s no crossing from one to the other?’

‘Sure, if he releases you from the deal. But then you wouldn’t have a problem.’ Jack rubbed the back of his head. ‘Jackson maybe could help you. He could do more for you inside of Trinity than I could. That’s if he’d help, I can’t promise. He might well not agree.’

‘Is he afraid of Lucas?’

‘Who, Jackson? No. No. Lucas was the buffer between him and his dad. What problems they got are nothing to do with fear or violence.’ Jack shrugged. ‘But Selena ain’t exactly your biggest fan and Jackson is a sucker for tears.’ Jack shrugged. ‘On the other hand, it would piss Lucas off and he does love to do that.’

Gail stood up. ‘Why could he help if you can’t? Rules don’t apply to him?’

‘Yeah, pretty much by definition. Chaos and mischief are what he does,’ Jack snorted. ‘You know what he’s doing right now?’

‘What?’

‘Breaking some doctor out of a sanatorium. Another one who reneged on a deal with Lucas,’ Jack shrugged. ‘If you want my advice, Miss Emory, you have two options, neither of them good. You either go to Jackson and risk a rejection, and Lucas knowing, because he keeps an eye on you and Jackson both, or you go to Lucas and negotiate. Set some very specific terms for what you want and what he wants. But if you’ll take my advice, you’ll put in staying healthy until you’re at least eighty. Women carrying babies for men in this family don’t tend to live long.’

Gail shuddered. ‘He’s not going to negotiate.’

‘Sure he will.’ Jack folded his arms. ‘He doesn’t want to force you, Gail. He wants you to be willing and he likes to negotiate. He enjoys deals. He gets no pleasure out of punishments and he generally finds them, uh, counter-intuitive. His dad enjoyed being hated and feared but Lucas wants respect and belief. He feeds off them. Give him something to do that’ll gain your respect, or will make him important to you, and he’ll fall over himself to do it.’

‘You mean the way he falls over himself with Selena?’ she asked dryly.

‘He used to. To be fair that went bad on both sides. She’s a romantic, believe it or not, and she wanted to be loved. She got bitter and he got complacent, took her for granted.’ Jack shrugged. ‘I’m not saying he’ll gush or even that he’ll be nice. But you feed his need and he’ll keep you safe. Ask him for what you want and ignore the sarcastic reply. He’ll give it to you. He’ll just pretend that he didn’t or that it was all about him. He won’t admit he needs anyone.’

‘I don’t want to end up falling out of a window,’ she said firmly.

‘Then don’t hate him and don’t threaten him.’ Jack sighed. ‘He really doesn’t have any particular desire to hurt you.’

‘Just to use me as a baby factory.’

‘Less factory, more artisanal craftswoman,’ Jack said wryly. ‘Quality not quantity.’

Gail covered her eyes. ‘Why didn’t he just do all this with Selena? I’m sure she’d have been only too happy.’

Jack shifted uncomfortably. ‘You’re right, she would. But she’s the wrong kind of person. There’s a… flaw in the line, you might say. Lucas and Caleb don’t have it, because of their mothers, and Lucas wants to make sure his other kid doesn’t either.’

‘A flaw.’

‘The illusion of free will.’ Jack shrugged. ‘I can’t change who and what I am. I can make mistakes, sure, but I can’t change my nature. My brother can’t. My sister can’t. My other cousins can’t. Jackson can’t. If Lucas had managed to bring him over to the bad early enough maybe he wouldn’t have ever had Caleb. But Jackson went the wrong way, to Lucas, and he can’t change. But Caleb still could. Lucas did.’

Gail opened and closed her mouth. ‘Lucas _did_?’

‘Sure. He wasn’t always the man he is now. Pride and rage led him astray. I guess in theory he could revert back, but I don’t see it happening.’ Jack rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand. ‘He enjoys being who he is, and he enjoys his power. If he wavers, if he changes again, the power will be gone. It’ll move on somewhere else and it won’t come back.’

Gail sat back and crossed her arms. ‘I’m having a lot of difficulty with all this.’

‘I get that.’

‘You give me almost no details and what you do tell me makes almost no sense,’ she said. ‘So why does it feel true? God knows that trying to find sense in Trinity is a fool’s errand. I knew when I met him that he wasn’t… like anyone else.’ Gail closed her eyes for a moment. ‘So, you’re saying that if I had a child then he would have that freedom? He specifically said this time the baby would follow his lead.’

Jack snorted. ‘That’s because he’s assuming that he’s just _that_ compelling. There’s no Merlyn around to counterbalance him now.’

‘I need food,’ Gail said, getting up and heading to cupboards. She opened the doors and turned back to Jack. ‘Why does he think it’ll work now when it didn’t work with his little brother?’

Jack leaned back in his chair. ‘Jackson was seven when Lucas went to the bad and he’d always been Lucas’s little pet. Lucas always shielded Jackson; from their dad, from the world. Sure, their dad was as evil, violent, and cruel as they come, but Lucas was the one who caught all that.’ Jack shrugged. ‘Caleb’s got a lot of rage in him. If he goes to the bad that’ll be what does it. Jackson… all he’s really got is loneliness. Not even Lucas could twist that into something evil.’

‘Sounds like he had it rough.’

Jack nodded. ‘Rough enough. Nothing compared to Lucas of course.’

Gail licked her lips. ‘You said he was Lucas’s pet? Did Lucas… what kind of brother was he?’

‘Protective before their dad died and indulgent afterwards.’ Jack twiddled his thumbs. ‘Jackson worshipped Lucas. Honestly? He still does, only now there’s all this disappointment and resentment in there too.’ He pursed his lips. ‘You’re wondering what kind of a father he’d be?’

‘It seems like the thing to ask,’ Gail said dryly.

‘I can tell you what I think, but I think Jackson and Caleb would be able to give you better answers.’

‘Right,’ she said, taking a deep breath. ‘So Lucas is convinced he’ll get his own way this time… why? Pride?’

‘Mostly,’ Jack said. ‘You can shape a nature, but you can’t make it. A kid of yours will be able to change, to be challenged or temped into another path, and he knows that.’ He shrugged. ‘You can always rely on Lucas to tell you a pack of self-serving lies.’

Gail laughed lightly. ‘That figures.’ She pushed her fingers through her hair. ‘It isn’t set in stone.’

‘Can’t be, not a child of yours.’


	8. Chapter 8

‘Where are we going?’ Matt asked.

He was in the front of the car, but half turned so he could keep an eye on Jackson; Lucas’s little brother but Selena’s too. It made Matt queasy. Jackson made him queasy. Lucas and Selena were monsters, certainly, but they were straightforward monsters. He knew that Selena was only helping to get back at Lucas. He had no idea of Jackson’s motivation, and the other man’s open interest was extremely unnerving.

‘We’re gonna go hide you at the Red Creek Farm,’ Selena said cheerfully.

‘I don’t know it.’

‘It was my uncle’s,’ Jackson said. He was sprawled out on the backseat, arms and legs spread out wide. ‘He just passed away. Nobody lives there and Jack won’t be rushing over to claim it.’ He scratched his thigh. The denim clung to it like a second skin.

Matt tried not to stare. He had the horrible feeling that Jackson would enjoy it.

‘Are you going to chain me up like that reporter?’

Selena smiled at him sweetly. ‘Well…’

‘No,’ Jackson said.

‘Oh, you’re no fun,’ she said, pouting at him in the rear-view mirror.

Jackson shook his head. ‘This is supposed to be a favour for Caleb. Remember that.’

‘Oh honey, you should know I did it to rile up Lucas, same as you.’

Matt shook his head. ‘Lucky me.’ He caught Jackson’s eye and saw the thoughtful, appraising look. ‘What?’

‘He came back to the house smelling of you,’ Jackson said mildly.

Selena laughed and shook her head. ‘You must be mistaken. Lucas doesn’t swing that way and besides, he and Doc Crower here can’t stand each other.’

‘No, you know I got a gift for it,’ Jackson said, shaking his head. ‘Doc here’s been sowing his oats. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.’ He held up his hands in appeasement. ‘If that’s what you wanted. Lucas doesn’t have the best record that way and you did try to kill him.’

‘Why would I ever discuss that with you?’

‘No reason if you don’t wanna.’

Selena glanced across at Matt. ‘I didn’t think there was anything Lucas could do that would shock me.’

‘Oh, don’t worry, I don’t think he gets any joy out of it,’ Matt said bitterly. ‘Nothing beyond the pleasure of inviting me to humiliate myself.’

‘That’s a relief,’ Selena said. ‘It’s bad enough having to compete will all the women in town without having to figure the men in there too.’

‘Wouldn’t be that many men you’d have to worry about,’ Jackson said, shaking his head. ‘Your ex Billy for one is terrified of the idea.’

‘What’s the matter sweetheart, you struggling to find dates?’ Selena asked. ‘You got all the pretty girls to go at too.’

‘Best not, Lucas ain’t a big one for sharing. Least of all with me.’ 

Matt looked out of the car, over at the parched landscape and stark trees. He wondered, in an odd, detached way what he was doing taking this kind of risk. It had been bad enough when he had been what… a distraction, an amusement? But now he had been pitched into the middle of whatever ongoing war there was between Lucas and Selena: nothing but a pawn for them to fight over. He should have stayed at the hospital. Matt wasn’t afraid of dying, but he hadn’t any doubt that Lucas could make his life infinitely worse than simply having him locked away in Juniper House.

‘You’re not getting all twitchy on me are you, Doctor?’ Selena asked, glancing across at him. ‘I always kinda admired the way that you always were willin’ to stand up to Lucas no matter what.’

‘I always appreciated your support,’ Matt said dryly.

‘I said I admired it, not that I agreed with it,’ she said sweetly.

There was a snort from the backseat. Matt glanced back despite his better instincts. Jackson wetted his lips as he let his gaze settle on Matt’s.

‘You know better than to rely on Selena, doncha Doc?’ he asked.

‘Certainly. Not even Lucas can rely on her, and he has far more cause than I do.’

Selena sighed noisily. ‘You boys and your whining.’

‘You said something about Caleb,’ Matt prompted.

Jackson shrugged extravagantly. ‘Kid got the idea it’d be the thing to do to get you out of the hospital. He tried Jack first, but his hands are tied.’

‘Mmm,’ Selena murmured. ‘There’s an attractive image. Oh, sorry, Jackson. That was tactless,’ she said penitently.

Matt caught the sudden tension in Jackson’s body. It stood in stark contrast to his general demeanour. ‘Who’s Jack?’ he asked. 

‘Lucas and Jackson’s cousin,’ Selena said smoothly. ‘He’s visiting from California.’

Matt watched Jackson glance out of the car. ‘Seems quite the coincidence you both being here at the same time.’

‘Honey, we buried Lucas,’ Selena said. ‘Next of kin visiting is what people do.’

‘If it was anyone else, I’d say it was a shame you waited until you thought he was dead,’ Matt said dryly. ‘But it’s Lucas so I’m only surprised anyone came at all.’ He tensed a little at the expression that crossed Jackson’s face. ‘You don’t agree.’

Jackson lifted his foot and tapped it on the back of Selena’s chair. ‘He’s my big brother. Selena’s got the right to hate him, but you I don’t know about.’

Matt gritted his teeth. ‘He had me committed to an asylum.’

‘You tried to shoot him so Ben Healy said.’ Jackson yawned. He reminded Matt of a cat, sprawled out and apparently sleepy but quietly predatory. ‘Liable to make anyone testy.’

‘Watching a desperate, terrified woman dive to her death through a window makes _me_ a little testy,’ Matt retorted. He was surprised to see Jackson flinch. ‘You do know your darling big brother is a murderer on top of God knows what else.’

‘Figure I got a better idea what Lucas is capable of then you do,’ Jackson said easily.

‘A swing and a miss, darlin’,’ Selena said, glancing across at Matt. ‘There isn’t much of anything you can tell Jackson about Lucas. What details he doesn’t know he can imagine.’ She turned her attention to Jackson, looking at him in the mirror. ‘And don’t you be getting yourself all tore up about _that_ woman. She never gave you a second thought. Hell, she barely gave you a first one.’

‘Who was she to you?’ Matt asked.

‘Nobody,’ Selena said firmly. She looked across at Matt. ‘Have a little decency, Doctor, Jackson just got you out of that terrible place. You ought to show some gratitude.’

Matt snorted and looked away. ‘Pardon the former mental patient for not quite having Southern manners down pat.’

***

Lucas was in one of those moods. Ben gripped his pen and tried to concentrate on the memoranda and alerts that had piled up in the last few days. He was all too aware that taking his attention from Lucas wasn’t the best of ideas, especially when he was in one of those moods.

Lucas was tapping his foot idly. He had his feet up on the desk as he read the Police Review. He was, despite all logic to the contrary, bored. Ben couldn’t imagine how he could be bored when he had his family in town. Floyd certainly wasn’t likely to be the same again. He’d come in that morning looking even more dazed than usual. Hell, Floyd was looking downright concussed. Also, he had a hickey on his neck the size of a peach. There was no way that Jackson hadn’t done that on purpose. He didn’t just want Lucas to know that he’d taken one of his deputies to bed, he wanted to rub Lucas’s face in it.

On thoughtful consideration, Ben was relieved that Jackson hadn’t made a pass at him. It was pretty clear that he hadn’t learnt any more subtlety or discretion than when he’d been a teenager. Ben snorted. Who was he kidding? Jackson might have all the subtlety and discretion in the word but what he didn’t have was any inclination to indulge in them. Not when Lucas was in the vicinity. Nope, Ben was happy not to get in the middle of that particular mess, thank you very much.

‘Easier said than done.’

Ben jolted out of his reverie. Lucas was watching him over the top of his magazine. ‘Sorry, Lucas?’

‘You see Jackson last night?’

Ben licked his lips. ‘We had a couple of drinks, sure.’ 

Lucas nodded easily. ‘You didn’t get to know him real well before he left.’

‘Well, no, that’s sure true. Mostly I was chasing around him in whatever car he’d just stolen,’ Ben said. He shifted position. ‘He’s not a _bad_ kid, Lucas.’

‘He ain’t a kid at all, he’s a grown man.’ Lucas put down the magazine. ‘Don’t let his fluttering eyelashes and quivering lower lip make you think he’s some lost little soul in need of your protection.’

Ben sighed. ‘I know all about difficult younger brothers.’

‘Happen you do.’ Lucas inclined his head to Floyd, who was wandering around vaguely. ‘I take it that Jackson ditched you in favour of Floyd?’

Ben held up his hands. ‘We had a couple of drinks, came out of the bar, and bumped into Floyd. Jackson had plenty of time to make any kind of pass at me before Floyd turned up. He didn’t.’ Ben frowned. ‘Reeled Floyd right in. It’s one thing to have it done to you but seeing it done to someone else, well that’s a little… alarming. Frankly.’

‘You saying someone has seduced you in the past?’ Lucas asked, all innocence.

‘There’s more than one kinda seduction.’

Lucas smiled lazily. ‘Preaching to the choir, deputy.’

***

Matt had always been a city boy. He had taken quite well the transition from city to town but even in the sleepy winding streets of Trinity there were always people around, cars, pick-ups, and kids on bikes. The clockwork of civilisation. He was rarely in the country long enough to think about how isolated it was. He knew that Caleb had been brought up in a house nearly a mile from its nearest neighbour. _This_ farmhouse was even more remote. When Matt got out of the car, he saw miles of fields and then woods.

‘Who’s keeping this farm operating?’ he asked.

‘There are hands,’ Selena said. ‘A foreman. It mostly ticks along.’ She winked. ‘Amazing how much gets done when the owner is in a coma.’

‘If you’re worrying about Lucas knowing, they won’t report to him.’ Jackson swaggered to the door. ‘These folks will be talking to Jack. He’s the new boss.’

Matt followed him. ‘Who’s Jack?’

‘You don’t know cousin Jack?’ Selena asked. ‘Lucky you have that pleasure to come.’

Jackson gave her a look. ‘Hey.’

Selena tried to look penitent. She turned to Matt. ‘Jack is Lucas’s cousin. He and I have what you might call a philosophical different of opinion.’

Matt cocked his head. ‘He doesn’t believe in facilitating evil in order to further his own petty power?’

Selena smiled sweetly. ‘I can see that you and Jack are going to get on just _peachy._’

‘Jack is an okay guy,’ Jackson said.

‘Coming from someone in your family, that’s not exactly reassuring,’ Matt said.

Jackson shook his head. ‘I’d forgotten how much fun it was to be repeatedly judged for Lucas’s behaviour. I had enough of that from Miss Emory at the hospital.’

‘Why is she at the hospital?’ Matt asked.

Jackson looked at Selena. ‘You can field that one. I’m gonna go get Caleb. I know he’s keen to visit with you, Doc.’

***

Lucas didn’t enjoy punishing folks. Leastways not unless it was pre-agreed and had a safety word. The kind of punishment that meant folks screaming or dying, he took no pleasure in that. But, well, there were times that it was necessary. Holding your hand out wasn’t always enough. Sometimes that hand had to come down hard. Merlyn had eventually learned that, although of course she went too far. People always did the first time. She’d let herself get all righteously indignant. That was the wrong time to punish. A body needed to be calm and thoughtful. It wasn’t about Lucas lashing out in anger. It was about respect. When folks in Lucas’s town came to his funeral and spat on his corpse, well now, that was plain disrespectful.

He started running just as soon as he saw Lucas get out of his car. Just running down the street like the demons of hell were after him. Didn’t even take his car. That was Waylon. Not a big one for thinking ahead.

‘Why is this door...’ Barbara Joy went pale as she saw Lucas.

‘Hi there Barbara Joy,’ he said. ‘I was looking for Waylon, but I see he’s catching up on his exercise.’

She followed his gesture and stared at Waylon staggering up the street. ‘What’s he doing?’

Lucas gave a short whistle as Waylon crashed to his knees. ‘Looks like he could be having himself a heart attack. You wanna call an ambulance?’ He smiled when she didn’t move. ‘Or not. That’s a good decision too.’

She licked her lips. ‘I should check that Benji is doing his homework.’

Lucas nodded. ‘You do that. Education is very important.’ He smiled as the door shut, and then strolled along the street to where Waylon Flood was lay on the road, spluttering like a fish drowning in the air.

‘I called an ambulance!’ yelled Dewey Green from his porch.

‘Good job, Dewey!’ Lucas called back. He hitched up his trousers as he squatted beside Waylon. ‘Barbara Joy didn’t,’ Lucas confided to Waylon in a chatty tone. ‘I suggested but... well. There’s only so many times you can punch a woman before she’s happy to see you die on the road like a dog.’

‘Please... please...’

Lucas raised his eyebrows. ‘Oh, it’s too late for that. Waylon. You had chance after chance. Now it’s time to pay the piper.’

‘Murder… murderer…’ Waylon wheezed.

Lucas clucked his tongue. ‘Now, now, Waylon, be fair. I haven’t laid a finger on you. Hardly my fault if you got yourself all riled up and had yourself a massive heart attack.’


	9. Chapter 9

Gail had never been in Lucas’s bedroom before. She didn’t know what she was expecting. An altar? A pentacle? Something. Something more than an old, dark room with a bed by the windows and heavy antique furniture. She ran her hand across the dresser. It didn’t seem like Lucas. But nothing in the house seemed like him. It had its own dark, imposing presence. There was nothing of Lucas’s warped charm or dark humour. It was a house for a Byron, or a Heathcliff.

She heard the door slam open and shut. She hurried out of the room, although she knew Lucas would do no more than make a sardonic comment if he caught her snooping. Half their... courtship had been her snooping and him catching her.

On the landing, she looked down into the foyer. A man was strolling into the kitchen. Gail went downstairs, clutching the handrail tightly, and into the kitchen. The man had his back to her as he was making coffee. Definitely not Lucas and she didn’t think it was Jack.

‘You want a coffee Miss...’ he turned around. ‘Are you a temple like Caleb?’

‘Emory,’ she said. ‘Gail is fine. Jackson, right? From the hospital.’

He crossed his arms. ‘That’s me. You escaped then? Seems to be the day for it.’

‘How’s that?’

He narrowed his eyes a little. ‘Don’t rightly know if I should tell you, but Caleb trusts you and he knows you. That doctor friend of his, the one that tried to shoot Lucas, he’s out of Juniper House.’

‘That’s great!’ Gail said. ‘I didn’t know they were going to release him. When did they decide he was well?’

Jackson shrugged. ‘They didn’t, so far as I know. They think they released him to Lucas’s custody.’

Gail sat down. ‘They think?’

‘He’s way out at the old farm and Selena would rather he not get himself shot having another go at Lucas. He’ll be fine, Lucas already lost interest in the worst of it. Plus, I’ve got Selena’s car. Your buddy would have to walk all the way.’

Gail sank into a chair. ‘Is he safe? He was ranting about demons and hobgoblins when he was put in there.’

Jackson shrugged. ‘That kinda thing doesn’t last. Lucas doesn’t have the patience for it. Your doctor friend knows that. He’s more worried what Lucas will do when he finds out.’

Gail pushed her fingers through her hair. ‘Lucas did that to him, made Matt try to shoot him?’

Jackson shook his head. ‘Lucas doesn’t _make_ anyone do anything. I’m sure you know that. He wound up Matt like a clockwork toy. He’s good at that.’

Gail folded her arms. ‘What’s Lucas likely to do?’

Jackson turned back to the coffee. ‘I don’t think he’ll hurt the doctor. Caleb likes him too much. Hell, Lucas is having too much fun messing with him to break a perfectly good toy.’

‘Wow, you have an amazingly low opinion of him,’ she said.

Jackson shook his head. ‘I have a realistic opinion of him. Me and Jack are probably your best bet for that.’

‘I met Jack,’ she had. ‘He seemed like a nice enough guy but not real helpful.’

Jackson gave her a cup of coffee. He gazed at her with sad eyes. ‘Far as Jack’s concerned, Gail, you put yourself past his help when you did a deal with Lucas.’

‘He made out it wasn’t his choice,’ she said.

‘It’s not.’

Gail sipped her coffee. ‘Your Lucas’s half-brother, and Selena’s too?’

He nodded. ‘Lucas brought me up, more or less.’

‘You don’t seem particularly murderous.’

‘Nope. Well, not directly.’ He scratched his forehead. ‘I’ve done some drug running. But what people chose to put in their veins is their choice.’

Gail looked at him. He was younger than Lucas and his accent was Northern, but there was an echo of Lucas’s arrogance and swagger than grated at her skin.

‘Should you be telling me that?’ she asked. ‘Around here dealing drugs can get you a very terminal stay in prison. I’m a journalist. I report things.’

His mouth slid into a grin. ‘Oh yeah? I’m in witness protection. Your scoop is way out of date.’

‘What? You shouldn’t be here. Lucas and Selena are your family. That must be against the rules.’

Jackson sat down. ‘Got special permission. Me and Jack can be real persuasive.’

‘I bet. I’ve experience Lucas’s “persuasions” from time to time,’ she said.

He was looking at her as if he could take apart each layer and put them back together. ‘Why are you here, Gail? You don’t like Lucas. You were terrified of having his baby. Hell, you used to think he murdered your parents.’

‘The last time I tried to leave town I nearly died,’ she said.

His raised his eyebrows. ‘Were you pregnant then?’

‘Yes.’

‘You’re not now,’ he said.

Gail shook her head. ‘I haven’t paid my side, whatever my side was.’

Jackson drummed his fingers on the table. ‘You sure?’

She looked down at her hands. ‘My baby died.’

Jackson touched her wrist. ‘Yeah,’ he said softly. ‘But that wasn’t your choice. That was Caleb, Lucas’s son, with something of Lucas’s spirit. I’m not sure you haven’t paid your side. Lucas won’t volunteer it. You need to ask him.’

She licked her lips. ‘Why didn’t Jack say this?

‘If he didn’t say it’s because he doesn’t know. Lucas has been doing his thing twenty-five years. Jack’s been doing his less than a week. Caleb went after you with a knife and suddenly San Francisco’s had sunshine at two am and darkness at lunch time. Give him some slack.’

‘I saw that on the news,’ Gail said. ‘Some kind of atmospheric distortion. What’s that got to do with anything?’

‘That started when Lucas died and stopped as soon as Jack got on a plane to Trinity.’ Jackson said. ‘Caleb ran around with a knife. Jack screws up the weather.’

Gail licked her lips. ‘I wanted to talk to you.’

‘Ain’t we doing that now?’

She had never seen Lucas shutter up against her. Maybe he didn’t do it. Maybe he was a good enough liar that she never realised. But Jackson definitely had his up and wasn’t making an effort to hide it.

‘Look. I’m sorry I insulted you at the hospital,’ she said. ‘I... I’m having a pretty stressful time. I moved here to help my cousin and I have been threatened, terrified, attacked, nearly died, and I just... I just lost...’ She was sitting on a chair.

Jackson was pushing a glass of water into her hand.

‘Sorry,’ she said.

‘Don’t be.’ He patted her knee. It was as completely asexual as someone petting a weeping child. ‘I’m sorry too. I thought Lucas had died. Selena tried to kill herself. Being back in Trinity is...’ He shrugged. ‘We’re all under a lot of stress.’

Gail blew her nose. ‘Selena tried to kill herself?’

Jackson scanned her face. ‘You didn’t know?’

‘No. When?’

‘I’m not sure. Way she tells it, it was after Lucas got you to the hospital.’ Jackson sat back. ‘They don’t have what you’d call the healthiest relationship.’

Gail looked at him. ‘Does Lucas have any healthy relationships?’

Jackson shook his head. ‘Not now. He does have some genuine affection for Caleb. I’ve seen them together enough to see that.’

‘He seems to have an unfortunate run of bad luck with the women in his life,’ Gail said carefully. ‘My aunt, Holly Gallagher, and now Selena.’

‘I wasn’t here for any of those,’ Jackson said. ‘I knew Holly a little. Sweet girl. Dumb as a box of rocks.’

Gail laughed despite herself. ‘That’s a terrible! And she was going to be a nurse.’

Jackson shrugged. ‘Smart people can be dumb. Her parents were no better. Would you let an eighteen-year-old date Lucas?’

Gail shook her head. ‘No. I wouldn’t. Not ten years ago. Not even twenty years ago. Did you know my aunt Judith?’

‘Not much,’ Jackson said.

‘She had an affair with Lucas.’

Jackson shrugged. ‘Half the women in the county have had an affair with Lucas,’ he said. ‘A few of the men too.’

Gail opened and closed her mouth. ‘He’s had affairs with men?’

‘Where it was useful to him. Or fun. Sometimes folks forget there’s times Lucas does things just for fun.’ Jackson tilted his head. ‘That bother you, Gail? Lucas getting “friendly” with men bothered Selena.’

Gail straightened up. There was an odd emphasis on his words. She had spent enough time around Lucas to feel the outline of a trap. She looked Jackson in the eye. ‘I’ve been in the big city for years, Jackson. I don’t care if Lucas is sleeping with Ben Healy and Billy Peele. What I care about is how he treats people and if I’m going to get out of this whole thing alive and in one piece.’

Jackson smiled wryly. ‘In Ben’s dreams.’

Gail relaxed a little, knowing she’d passed whatever the test was.

‘I must admit I have wondered about Ben,’ Gail said. ‘Sometimes he seems devoted to Lucas and sometimes he seems mutinous.’

‘Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you don’t get mad at them,’ Jackson said. ‘Doesn’t mean you won’t spit in their eye and curse them to their face. Ask Selena.’

Gail shook her head. ‘She’s still in love with Lucas?’

‘Till the day she dies.’

***

Jack was in his shirtsleeves as he walked along Main street. The shirtsleeves were part of the reason he was attracting stares. Folks in Trinity had greater resistance to the heat than he did. The rest of the reason was that he was a stranger who wasn’t _quite_ strange enough. Nobody thought he was Lucas, but he looked enough like him to cause second glances. It had been a while since he’d been to Trinity. Years. But people had long memories.

Jack stopped to help someone change a tyre. Helped someone else pick up dropped groceries. That was a Lucas thing to do. But he didn’t dash a sparkling smile when he did it, and he didn’t glad-hand anyone. He wasn’t in the mood for making nice. He rarely was. Jack would probably not admit that he didn’t like people very much. At least not without a beer first. But he admitted to himself.

He didn’t like people very much. The odd person here and there. He had friends and he was fiercely loyal to them. Most people though… they were cruel, they were selfish, they were stupid... Most days he ended up shaking his head.

Up ahead, a man staggered out of the bar and to his car. Jack quickened his pace. The car started first time and lurched into traffic. A cacophony of squealing tires and honking horns filled the air. A car swung out of the way, instead skewing towards a boy on a bicycle, ashen-faced and shaking.

Jack dragged the boy from his bicycle just as the car chewed it up. He put the boy on the grass, giving his shoulder a brief squeeze.

‘I was… That fool was going to hit…’ the driver babbled.

‘Stay here,’ Jack said to the horrified driver. He bolted across the street, yanked open the door of the drunk driver’s car, dragged him out, and jumped in. He hit the brakes and secured the car.

‘Get... Get out of my... car!’ The driver yanked open the door and waved a gun vaguely in Jack’s direction.

‘You nearly caused a goddamn pile up!’ Jack snarled. ‘Are you insane or did the booze just rot your brain?’

The hand holding the gun was shaking. ‘Thief! Thief! He’s trying ... he’s trying steal my car!’

‘No, I’m –’

Lucas spun the diver around, disarmed him, and handcuffed him. ‘Boy scout,’ he said, looking into the car. ‘What’re you doing?’

‘Preventing a major traffic incident.’

Lucas shrugged with his mouth. ‘We’ve got ourselves at least three collisions and Boone’s bike looks like it went through a compactor.’ He shook his head. ‘Not your best work.’

Jack got out of the car. ‘Maybe, but _I_ was here. Where were you when your people were nearly getting mown down?’

Lucas put his hands on his hips and looked Jack up and down. ‘I know you didn’t mean to raise your voice to me.’

Jack licked his lips. ‘Kinda running hot.’ he said. ‘What with your friend there nearly causing a total pileup.’

Lucas still had hold of the drunk. He clasped his hand on the man’s shoulder. ‘Don’t you worry your little heart about that.’

***

‘You’ve spoken to Caleb?’ Gail asked.

Jackson nodded. ‘Couple times.’

‘Has he stopped chasing people with knives?’

‘For now, I guess. You know what kids that age are like for being mad for a thing for five minutes and then totally abandoning it for something else.’

Gail’s lips twitched. ‘You think a little boy being possessed and trying to kill his adult cousin is funny? You’ve obviously got Lucas’s sense of humour.’

Jackson scratched his head. ‘Nobody’s laughing, Gail.’

She looked away. ‘Is it going to happen again?’

Jackson shrugged. ‘First part, sure, sooner or later unless Jack can pull a rabbit out the hat. The second part… That’s details. How old Caleb is, how he’s grown, how much Lucas has shaped him, and where his heads at. Where _you’re _at. If he doesn’t see any kind of threat, I don’t see him making a move on you.’

‘What good can Jack possibly do?’ Gail asked. ‘He couldn’t even help _me_.’

‘Didn’t he? He told you to talk to me. He’s been talking to Caleb. Jack could talk the ears off a mule.’

She was quiet for a long moment. ‘I thought you were trying to brush me off.’

He chuckled. ‘I understand why you’d think I’m not pulling for you. But I mean what I said. Be sure that you still owe Lucas. If you don’t then you’ve nothing to worry about. If you do… Then maybe we can have another conversation.’ He pushed his fingers through his hair. ‘As for Jack, well, Caleb can still go either way. Right now, he’s pointed due Lucas but that can change. Jack just being here is making Caleb rethink that. Me too, come to that.’

‘I thought Caleb and I were growing closer,’ she said. ‘I’ve been a bad cousin, but I thought… Well.’

Jackson patted her shoulder, an automatic gesture she was sure. ‘Seems like that boy’s had nothing but disappointment in his kin,’ he said mildly. ‘I’m sure we all know how that feels. But it’s not too late.’

‘I’m afraid you might be wrong,’ Gail admitted. ‘I think it might be much too late.’


	10. Chapter 10

Jack had been in plenty of police stations, station houses, and sheriff’s stations in his life. Hell, some of them hadn’t even involved him yelling at people or being yelled at. He’d been in the Trinity sheriff’s station before, but not in years. It was before he became a cop even. When was the last time he’d been in here? Maybe just after his mom died. He’d been on a tear. He and Lucas had gone joyriding around some isolated part of the county. They’d gone swimming in a brook and shot up some falling down old farmhouse. Who was it that turned up with beer and fried chicken? Not Selena, she was too young then, and Angie was long gone. Damn. He couldn’t remember. Did Lucas even remember the endless string of women he used and discarded? It was amazing more of them didn’t try shooting him. Being Lucas meant decades of horrific behaviour and the only consequence was _nearly_ being killed, which was then turned into another way to scare the shit out of people.

The sky, showing through the large windows, was black. Angry clouds roiled across the sky. The air was heavy and pressing.

‘Hey Floyd,’ Lucas said cheerfully to the blank-faced deputy behind the desk. ‘Don’t worry about Jack here, he don’t swing your way.’

Floyd turned puce. ‘I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Lucas,’ he stammered.

Lucas flicked a look at Jack. ‘Jackson thought it would be… amusing to spend some _quality _time with Floyd here.’

‘Yeah,’ Jack said, as Floyd tried fruitlessly to cover the large hickey with his collar. ‘I heard.’

‘You got some messages on your desk, Lucas,’ Floyd mumbled.

Lucas nodded as he swaggered towards the rear door. ‘Go get us a couple of them cappuccinos from the new coffee place, Floyd.’

‘Yes, Lucas.’

Jack snorted. ‘Is Trinity finally entering the modern era?’

Lucas grinned at him. ‘Not if I can help it.’

Jack shuddered as he followed Lucas into his dark, claustrophobic office. The house was bad enough, although it was far better than it had been when Lucas’s father was alive. Cousin Nicholas was a man most comfortable in the creepy darkness. Jack had never much enjoyed spending time with that side of the family, for all that Lucas knew how to enjoy himself. Fun with Lucas had an unfortunate tendency to leave an unpleasant aftertaste.

Lucas swaggered around his desk and plucked up the stack of handwritten messages.

‘You gotta cool down, Boy Scout,’ Lucas said. ‘In _general,_ I’m all favour of indulgin’ your anger, but in specifics I’d prefer not to get a hurricane in the face.’

Jack took a deep breath and let it out slowly. ‘How long did it take you to…’

Lucas shrugged as he turned his attention to his messages. ‘I ain’t you.’

Jack rolled his eyes. ‘For once, can you pause the one-upmanship and just give me a straight answer?’

‘Maybe a week for the broad strokes,’ Lucas admitted. ‘Fine detail took longer.’ He read something and smirked.

‘Did someone die?’ Jack asked sourly.

‘Matter of fact…’ Lucas put the message aside. ‘Oh, don’t gimmie that face. He was a wife-beater so you should be as pleased about it as me.’

‘Right now, I’m wondering why you’d be pleased at all.’ Jack crossed his arms.

Lucas sat down in his chair and propped his feet up on the desk. ‘He smacked Ben around. I taught him a small lesson, less than he deserved, he responded to my magnanimity by lit’rally spittin’ on my corpse. Well, he thought it was my corpse.’ He tapped his feet together. ‘Reminds me, I gotta do something nice for Ol’ Bertie. Fair is fair.’

Jack shook his head. ‘If you’re going to kill everyone happy they thought you died, then Trinity’s going to be a ghost town.’

Lucas grinned at him. ‘But I’d still have you, Boy Scout.’

Floyd tapped on the door and bumbled in with two takeaway coffee cups.

‘Where’s Ben at?’ Lucas asked.

‘We got a call about vandalism at the school,’ Floyd said. ‘He’s gone to see about it.’

Lucas waved the message. ‘Does he know Waylon Flood died?’

Floyd looked baffled. ‘I don’t know. Why would he?’

Lucas replied in a slow, careful voice. ‘On account of Waylon Flood’s widow, Barbara Joy, being Ben’s ex-wife, and Waylon being Ben junior’s stepdaddy.’

‘There’s a _kid_?’ Jack demanded.

Lucas shot him a look. ‘A boy growin’ up watchin’ his momma taking a fist to the face most weeks.’

Floyd was switching his gaze from one to the other like a spectator watching tennis. ‘You want me to put it out on the radio?’

Lucas picked up the next message. ‘No, thank you, Floyd. I’ll take care of it.’

Jack opened his coffee and took a sip. ‘What did you do to this Flood character?’

‘He had a heart attack runnin’ away from me,’ Lucas said distractedly. ‘What is this?’

Jack licked his lips. ‘What?’

Lucas dropped his feet to the floor. ‘Why are Juniper House callin’ me?’

Jack shrugged. ‘What’s Juniper House?’

Lucas narrowed his eyes. ‘It’s the mental institution where Doctor Crower is being held after his crack up.’

Jack took another sip of coffee. ‘What’s the message say?’

Lucas looked at it again. ‘Says they missed something off his script, and I need to make sure he takes some extra meds. Why do they think I’m in a position to give Crower his meds?’ He surged to his feet. The room darkened. ‘What the hell did you do, Jack?’

Jack squared his shoulders. ‘Cool down, Lucas.’

‘_What did you do?’_

‘Me, nothing,’ Jack said, putting his cup down. ‘I guess I could’ve got dressed up in your clothes and gone break him out. Physically I could’ve done that. But I know that’d break faith in this… agreement, arrangement, whatever you want to call this.’

Lucas narrowed his eyes. ‘Jackson.’

‘Caleb was looking for someone to help the doctor,’ Jack said. ‘He’s real fond of the doctor. Before you go running off to stamp your authority, keep that in mind.’

‘I know how to deal with my son.’

Jack pursed his lips. ‘You know how to tempt a boy to your side of things,’ he agreed. ‘And you’ve done that. You’ve won. But Caleb is still a _child_. A child who’s lost his entire family one way and another. A child in need of someone to believe in. Someone to trust. You want to be his _father_? Then _be_ his father and not just the demon on his shoulder. And show some damn compassion. Show some _mercy_. Else when Caleb inherits, he’s not going to look after Trinity. He’s gonna destroy it.’

Lucas was quiet for several seconds. ‘I let Crower live. That was mercy.’

Rain clattered against the window as Jack shook his head. ‘You were amusing yourself, we both know that.’

Lucas shrugged. ‘That was my prerogative. Anything I do to him now, is my prerogative.’

Jack held up his hands. ‘Not arguing that you can’t kill him or send him back to the hospital. I’m saying that if you give a damn about Caleb then you _shouldn’t.’ _

***

Caleb scowled as he increased his speed. He had ridden out into clear blue but up ahead black clouds were bleeding into the sky. A cold wind was rising, whipping up leaves and dust into the air.

He took a sharp turn and screeched to a halt as Cousin Jack nearly stepped into the street. He was in his shirt sleeves and shivering in the sudden chill.

‘Whoa!’ Caleb laughed. ‘I nearly hit you.’

‘It’s a day for it,’ Jack said, jerking a thumb towards a knot of activity further up the street. ‘That buddy of yours, Boone? He nearly got hit by a car a while ago.’

Caleb’s eyes widened. ‘He okay?’

‘Better than his ride,’ Jack said.

‘Shucks,’ Caleb said. ‘We was gonna enter the big race together. He’s better than me but him winning is almost as good as me winnin’.’

Jack pursed his lips. ‘Did Lucas know about the race?’

Caleb nodded. ‘He’s one of the judges.’

‘Of course he is,’ Jack said. ‘Uh, you should know he’s real mad about Jackson and Selena busting out your doctor friend.’

Caleb’s face brightened. ‘They got him out? He okay?’

‘I haven’t seen him but yeah he’s out, for now anyway.’ Jack tucked his hands in his pockets. ‘You might want to hurry if you’re wanting to talk to him.’

Caleb scuffed his toe against the ground. ‘You think Lucas might hurt him?’

Jack shrugged. ‘I don’t know,’ he admitted. ‘He wasn’t happy. The doctor tried shooting him?’

‘He went _nuts_,’ Caleb said. ‘But I think Lucas did something to him.’

Jack nodded. ‘I think you’re right.’

‘Miss Coombes helped?’

‘She’s with him,’ Jack said. ‘How much she helped I couldn’t tell you. Selena’s generally more one for egging people on than getting her hands dirty herself.’ 

Caleb hunched his shoulders. ‘People who did stuff she egged ‘em on to do made their own decisions.’

Jack tilted his head. ‘That’s true, we all got to carry our own sins. Including her.’

‘You don’t much like her, huh?’

Jack shrugged. ‘I used to. Used to like her a lot. But Selena’s in a rage at Lucas. When she’s like that she’d happily drown the world just to get his boots wet.’

‘I thought she was still in the hospital,’ Caleb said. ‘You think she’s safe to be home?’

‘I hope so,’ Jack said. ‘She’s holed up with Jackson and your doctor buddy.’

‘Doctor Matt will look after her,’ Caleb said confidently. ‘He’s a good guy.’

‘He did some kind of deal with Lucas,’ Jack said mildly. ‘Same as your cousin Gail. That doesn’t mean they aren’t good. Plenty of people desperate reach out to him.’

Caleb flinched. ‘I ain’t spoken to her yet. She didn’t want me to visit her at the hospital.’

‘She’s at Lucas’s now,’ Jack said. ‘She might be ready for that conversation.’

‘I don’t know what to say,’ Caleb said quietly. ‘I know what I did.’

Jack squatted in front of him. ‘More important than what you say is what you do and what she says. When you talk to her you make it something that you’re doing for _her_, not for you. She might not forgive you, and that’s her right. But you saying you’re sorry is the right thing to do.’

Caleb gripped the handlebars more tightly. ‘She might be mad at me forever.’

‘That’s her right,’ Jack said. ‘But I don’t think she will.’

Caleb squared his shoulders. ‘You’re like the opposite of Lucas.’

Jack waggled his hand. ‘Kinda.’

‘Okay.’ Caleb straightened up.

‘You want me to come with you?’

Caleb shook his head. ‘I got this.’

‘Yeah, you do,’ Jack promised.

***

Matt got out of the shower into the warm, noisy bathroom. The boiler was banging, and the pipes were pounding. It would be annoying if it went on, but right at that moment it was reassuring. After the coldness and efficiency of Juniper House there was something primal, visceral, reliable, and human about the squeaks, squeals, and shrieks of the plumbing. It spoke of the other people in the ranch, and of civilisation that existed beyond. Silence was the enemy. Anything could exist in silence. Sound was safety.

Then he heard it. The whistle. That cheery whistle that made his shoulders clench and his fists clench. Lucas’s whistle.

Matt grabbed his clothes and yanked open the bathroom door. He wasn’t going to die naked in a damn towel.

He knew that he’d left the light on in the corridor. Now it was cast in darkness.

He knew that Selena was in a bedroom listening to music. Now that room was silent.

Matt ran along the corridor. Ran along a corridor he knew he could cross in five steps. Still he ran. Still he heard Lucas whistling.

Now he heard steps on the staircase. Each step a counterpoint to the tune.

Matt shoved open his bedroom door, threw himself into the room, and slammed the door shut. He jammed a chair under the door handle. He dragged on a shirt and pants then threw open the window.

‘Long way down, Harvard,’ Lucas drawled.

Matt spin around. He backed against the wall. He could see the chair still jammed under the door handle. Lucas strolled forward.

‘I’ll jump,’ Matt said.

Lucas idly looked past him. ‘Okay.’

Matt swallowed and tried to look past Lucas. Could he skirt around him? Was there anything he could use as a weapon?

Lucas clucked his tongue. ‘That’s not very friendly,’ he said reproachfully. He moved close enough to straighten Matt’s shirt. ‘Look what a ragamuffin mess you are. You are a professional man, Harvard, and most times you look like I ran you through a baler.’

‘We can’t all meet your sartorial standards,’ Matt retorted.

Lucas gave a slow smile that made the hairs stand up on the nape of Matt’s neck.

‘There you are,’ Lucas said. ‘I was fixin’ to give you up as a lost cause.’

‘God forbid I disappoint you.’

Lucas raised his hand and Matt flinched. Lucas brushed his fingers through Matt’s hair. 

‘You could be halfway presentable if you took some care of yourself,’ Lucas murmured, trailing his hand down Matt’s face and chest.

Matt set his jaw. ‘What makes you think I care what you think?’

Lucas hand slid over Matt’s belly, and into his pants. ‘Observation,’ he drawled, his hand wrapping around Matt’s swelling cock. ‘Well, hello there. It’s always nice to greeted with such _enthusiasm_.’

Matt squeezed his eyes shut. ‘Get it over with,’ he mumbled. ‘Kill me.’

‘I could do that,’ Lucas agreed, his thumb sliding up and down in slow, easy strokes.

‘Why don’t you?’

Matt felt Lucas’s lips against his ear. The scent of his aftershave washed into Matt’s lungs.

‘Where would be the fun in that?’ Lucas purred.

Matt’s hands clenched. Lucas’s heat was searing his skin. It radiated out, tendrils coursing through his veins.

He heard himself whine and hated himself for it. Hated Lucas’s hand cupping his face. Hated the kiss, which was slow and deep and crawled inside him, poisoning his blood. Hated the tears that spilled as he came.

Hated that Lucas brushed away his tears with his thumbs. Hated that Lucas kissed his forehead.

‘Is this what I am now?’ Matt asked, as Lucas strolled towards the door. ‘Someone to be played with and discarded like Selena or Angie?’

Lucas looked back over his shoulder. ‘You ain’t discarded, Harvard,’ he said.

‘Why?’ Matt asked quietly. ‘Is it just sadism?’

‘Sadism?’ Lucas chuckled. ‘This is _mercy_, Doctor. I wasn’t sure about it but so far it’s a lot of fun.’

***

The gleaming pickup truck growled down the road. The thirty-something driver, a chiselled man with blue-black hair and a cleft chin, was complaining. He’d been complaining for some time. Long enough that the three passengers had long since stopped listening. The black woman in the seat next to him was once again checking the dossier. In the back seat, the blonde moustachioed man was checking his gear while the bespectacled man with salt and pepper hair tried to sleep.

‘I just think it’s ridiculous that we have to drive halfway across the country to some little Podunk town,’ the driver said. ‘If we had better intel, we could go get him at home.’

The woman sighed. ‘He’s living in Kentucky, Earnest.’

‘What’s wrong with Kentucky?’ the blond demanded.

‘It’s hardly any easier to traverse than North Carolina,’ the woman said.

‘If you loved it so much, Jay, why’d you move to New York as soon as you could?’ Earnest sneered.

‘That’s not the point!’ Jay snapped.

‘The _point_ is that the job is to go to Trinity and sterilise the problem,’ the woman said.

‘Who’re we sterilising?’ the backseat would-be-sleeper asked.

‘Not like that, Cecil,’ the woman snapped.

‘She means kill,’ Earnest said. ‘We’re gonna go to Tertiary –’

‘Trinity!’

‘And kill this guy,’ Earnest said. ‘Hey, Lena, do they wear cowboy hats in Kentucky? I think I could carry off a cowboy hat.’

Lena cut her eyes at him. ‘They certainly don’t in North Carolina which is where we are.’

Cecil rubbed his eyes. ‘Who are we killing?’

Lena passed back the dossier. The name on the front was “Jackson Crane.”


	11. Chapter 11

The rain was easing a little as Caleb dumped his bicycle by the door and let himself into the house. There was a radio playing somewhere in the house and he heard voices. Caleb went up on his tiptoes to hang his jacket up on the hook and then followed the sound of voices into the kitchen.

Jackson was cooking something that smelled of garlic and lemon. Gail was sat at the table, nursing a mug of tea. She tensed when Caleb walked into the room.

‘Hey Caleb,’ Jackson said cautiously. ‘Did you get caught in the rain?’

‘Little bit,’ Caleb said, licking his lips. ‘Um.’

‘Want a hot drink?’ Jackson offered.

‘There’s some cocoa,’ Gail said tightly.

‘Lucas has cocoa?’ Jackson asked, raising his eyebrows.

‘He got it for me when I moved in,’ Caleb said. He edged around the table as if expecting Gail to lash out at him. He grabbed the kettle and turned towards the sink. ‘You want some?’

‘I’ll stick to coke, thanks,’ Jackson said.

Caleb put the kettle on the stove. ‘Jack said you bust Doctor Matt out of the hospital.’

‘He noticed that, huh,’ Jackson said.

‘You do that for me?’ Caleb asked.

Jackson leaned back against the countertop. ‘Mostly. Little bit of messing with Lucas. Selena was mostly there to mess with Lucas.’

Gail scowled. ‘What possible use could Selena be?’

Jackson shrugged. ‘Your boy Matt would likely have run all the way to Atlanta if she hadn’t been there. He don’t know me from a hole in the ground but he knew I wasn’t Lucas.’

Gail choked on a mouthful of tea. ‘You pretended to be Lucas?’

‘Sure,’ Jackson said with a grin. ‘Stole some of his clothes, dyed my hair, and everything.’

‘What if you’d been caught!’

‘Ben tole me that you been arrested a mess of times when you used to live here,’ Caleb said, with a shade of admiration.

Jackson shrugged. ‘Not _that _many times. Mostly they couldn’t catch me.’ He looked at Gail. ‘How many folks do you reckon would ask Lucas to prove who he was? Especially if they don’t know him that well but they _do_ know that he’s been ill.’

‘I thought you’d just sneak him out a window or somethin’,’ Caleb admitted.

‘Places like that are kinda short on windows that open,’ Jackson said. ‘And they’d have had people out searching for him right away. This way is better.’

Caleb started to say something when the phone in the living room began to ring.

‘I best get that,’ Jackson said. ‘Might be my marshal.’

‘Huh?’ Caleb asked, as Jackson headed to the door.

‘I’ll explain later,’ Jackson promised.

Caleb glanced at Gail. She was gripping her mug tightly.

‘Should I go with him?’ she asked.

Caleb shook his head. ‘I ain’t gonna… Cousin Gail I don’t even…’ He took a breath and then another. Trying to hold back the tears by force of will. ‘I’m real sorry, Gail… So sorry.’

He saw her, lying at the bottom of the stairs. Hurting and terrified. Felt the life ebbing out.

‘It wasn’t your fault,’ Gail said, her voice stretched and tense. ‘We both know that.’

‘I did it! It’s my fault! I killed your baby!’ Caleb collapsed to the floor.

After a few seconds, he felt her pull him into a hug.

‘I’m sorry, Caleb,’ she whispered. ‘I let you down. I wasn’t there when you needed me, and you became that… monster.’ She lifted his chin and looked into his eyes. ‘I’m not going anywhere, Caleb. I’m going to be here for you.’

He nodded and rested his chin on her shoulder. She rubbed his back.

After a couple of minutes, he stood up and she came with him.

‘How long have you been there?’ Gail asked, noticing Jackson in the doorway.

‘Not long,’ he said casually. ‘Didn’t see like the moment to interrupt.’ He gave Caleb’s hair a rub. ‘I’m gonna drive back to see Selena and your doctor soon. You wanna come?’

‘I do,’ Gail said grimly.

Jackson rubbed his cheek. ‘You wanna go see Doc Crower?’

‘I want to see Selena,’ Gail said.

‘I’m not sure that’s the best idea,’ Jackson said mildly.

She raised her eyebrows. ‘I’m not sure I give a damn what you think. I don’t let Lucas tell me what to do. Why do you imagine I’d let you?’

Caleb dried his eyes. ‘Miss Coombes tried to hurt herself.’

Gail crossed her arms. ‘Caleb, if Miss Coombes tried to kill herself, it’s not because of what she did to me, or to you.’ 

***

There was a certain kind of bar where the light was always low, and the windows always seemed to look out onto a world of perpetual darkness and rain. Billy Peele could have found a bar that was brightly lit or where loud music accompanied cheerful servers who smiled as they flashed too much skin knowing it would be paid for in tips. He had seen several within ten minutes’ drive of Fulton County Hospital and yet he was here. Here in a bar that seemed to exist in a kind of everlasting twilight where the light was always sepia and the lethargic music groaning out from the jukebox was on the verge of being drowned out entirely by the rising storm.

Billy was contemplating the whiskey lurking at the bottom of his glass when the door was pushed open. Billy only turned around because of the expression on the bartender’s face.

Billy knew that he was staring. He knew that he didn’t care enough.

‘Are you gonna buy me a drink or take a swing at me?’ the newcomer asked, perching on the stool next to Billy.

‘How many of you are there?’ Billy asked.

The newcomer ran his fingers through his hair. ‘I’m the only one of me that I’ve got.’

‘Are you another brother?’ Billy demanded.

‘Cousin. If you’ve met Jackson, then you’re up to date.’ He held out his hand. ‘Jack Killian.’

Billy shook his hand. ‘Like the radio guy?’

Jack nodded. ‘Yeah, like that.’ He gestured at the bartender. ‘Beer please.’

Billy snorted. ‘You haven’t been here long if you’re still on beer.’

‘Sounds like you’ve been here too long,’ Jack said mildly.

Billy nodded and gestured for another whiskey. ‘Could be true. I’m Billy Peele.’

‘You’re not from around here either?’

Billy shook his head. ‘I came in to help with an exotic disease that was spreading. Next thing I know Selena is under some kind of curse, people are burying Lucas alive, and whatever the hell is going on with damn storm. I’ve seen some insane shit but this town is like… I don’t know what.’

Jack paid for his beer. ‘Selena Coombes was cursed?’

Billy leaned back. ‘I got in between her and Lucas.’

‘And you’re in one piece,’ Jack observed. ‘How’d you manage that?’

Billy snorted. ‘Maybe he knew he’d need someone to dig him up after he was buried alive.’

Jack shuddered. ‘I doubt it. Foresight and patience aren’t his virtues.’

‘He _has_ virtues?’

‘Hard to believe isn’t it?’

Billy stared into his drink. ‘I’m a doctor. I’m supposed to make things better.’

‘Being buried alive is pretty horrific,’ Jack said quietly. ‘Not matter who it is surely stopping that isn’t the wrong thing to do?’

‘I thought so. Now I’m not so sure. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, right?’

Jack shook his head. ‘Good intentions aren’t shit without good actions. Maybe Lucas deserved what happened to him. Maybe not. Doesn’t mean you did the wrong thing. I know Caleb is the better for Lucas being alive.’

Billy shook his head. ‘For now, maybe. This morning I was interviewed by a moronic deputy “investigating” the suicide of my line manager. A suicide I’m pretty sure wasn’t his own idea.’

Jack sat back in his chair. ‘Doctors do kill themselves. Close to the numbers of cops.’

‘Around here they’re just as likely to end up in the local mental hospital,’ Billy said.

‘I was surprised to hear they released Selena already,’ Jack admitted.

Billy shrugged. ‘She doesn’t have long term depression or suicidal ideation. She hit a moment of crisis. The moment has passed. Her brother is in town and he’s _extremely_ protective of her. There’s no reason to keep her in the hospital.’

Jack sipped his beer. ‘Not your problem anymore, huh?’

Billy looked at him. ‘You know her?’

‘Some. It’s been a while since I last saw her and uh… we’re not exactly on the same wavelength.’

Billy leaned back. ‘You’re not going to hit on me, are you?’

Jack chuckled. ‘I wasn’t planning on it. Did Jackson do that?’

‘I couldn’t tell if he was serious or trying to get a reaction.’

‘It can be both,’ Jack said. ‘That’s not exactly what I meant. We have a pretty fundamental difference in approach to… ethics.’

‘Oh, you mean you have some?’ Billy asked.

Jack chuckled. ‘You might be surprised.’

‘I would be, given your family.’

Jack took a gulp of beer. ‘Isn’t that the big question though; are intentions or consequences more important?’

Billy shook his head. ‘That seems like an easy excuse. I don’t have any excuses. I didn’t know the depths Selena could go to, but I wasn’t under any illusions. You know even that I could cope with. I _did_ cope with. But I should’ve listened to Ben Healy. He told me flat out, she might love Lucas, or she might hate him, but she’ll never be indifferent to him. He’s always going to be tangled up in her brain like an… inoperable tumour.’

Jack clasped his hands together. ‘So, the million-dollar question then: why are you still here?’ 

Billy shook his head. ‘I don’t know.’

***

Ben didn’t much get out to this side of town. The rich were rarely troubled with the kind of problems that required the presence of a lowly deputy. When they did have issues they always, _always_, asked for Lucas. The ones that made the mistake of _demanding_ only ever did it once.

Ben had been a little wary when he pulled up at the big house. It wasn’t eased by Mr Gardiner rushing him into the house before the neighbours could see. Jeez.

Someone was sobbing somewhere upstairs. Great. This was gonna be fun. In the corner of the living room, a little girl was playing with a couple of dolls. Ben didn’t spend as much time with his son as he’d like. They were starting to try things like fishing and target shooting in their meagre time together. Ben didn’t know what he’d have done if his son had been born a daughter, but he thought about it sometimes.

Mr Gardiner sent the maid up to “tell Mrs Gardiner that a deputy has finally arrived.”

Ben avoided rolling his eyes, but only just. Hadn’t these folks been paying attention? Lucas’s return to the living had caused almost as much work, and as much trouble, as his supposed death.

Mrs Gardiner had ruined an expensive silk blouse by sobbing on to it. She had clearly repeatedly freshened her makeup, but Ben had seen a lot of crying women. The swollen, reddened eyes weren’t disguised by the foundation, mascara, and eyeshadow.

‘What can I help you folks with?’ Ben asked.

She stared at him. ‘My father’s _murder_.’

‘Uh…’

‘You people are calling it a suicide,’ Mr Gardiner. ‘Doctor Narone. He supposedly hanged himself in his office.’

Ben put his hand on his waist. ‘Is this a conversation you want to have in front of your little girl?’

‘She found him!’ Mrs Gardiner hissed.

‘I don’t think that makes it better!’ Ben retorted.

Mr Gardiner scooped up the little girl and carried her away.

Ben sighed. ‘I’m sorry for your loss, Ma’am. Do you have any evidence that your father was murdered?’

Mrs Gardiner tightly clasped her hands together. ‘He hated the sheriff,’ she said. ‘He was terrified of him.’

‘That’s not evidence,’ Ben said gently.

‘He certified that the sheriff was dead! The man is dug up and suddenly my father suddenly hangs himself? Are we supposed to believe that?’

‘Mrs Gardiner, _I_ dug Lucas up. He was in no state to be forcefully hanging anyone. He’d had an operation, nearly died, and then been buried alive. I know your father was older, but he’d have been able to put up a fight.’ Ben shook his head. ‘There weren’t any signs of it on the room or on home.’

She pursed her lips. ‘Then the sheriff threatened him. He made him do it to himself.’

‘Could be,’ Ben said carefully. ‘Or it could be that your father realised his mistake with Lucas and was so upset that he took his own life.’

She stared at him. ‘I see. It’s like that.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Ben said genuinely. ‘I can’t do anything without actual evidence. I know that it’s hard to hear but –’

‘You can leave,’ she said.

Ben was quiet for a moment, but she just glared at him.

‘Okay,’ he said. ‘If you do find something out, please let me know.’

She slammed the door behind him.

Ben put his notepad into his pocket. The rain was really coming down now. He’d have preferred Twinkies, or sandwiches, but it figured that Jack would figure that stuff out right when Ben had missed lunch.

He hunched his shoulders and padded down the long driveway towards the road. Right as he got through the gates, Lucas pulled up in his Crown Vic. Ben hesitated a moment, and then Lucas swung open the passenger door.

‘I’m parked up around the corner,’ Ben said, sitting down and shutting the passenger door.

‘I didn’t think that you’d let someone drive off in it,’ Lucas said dryly. ‘Not after the last time.’

Ben pulled a face. ‘That was ten years ago, and Jackson left it parked outside the station.’

‘Oh, I remember.’ Lucas turned around to face him.

Something about his expression made Ben’s heart sink. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Depends on your definition of wrong,’ Lucas said. ‘Waylon Flood had a heart attack a couple hours ago.’

Ben looked at him warily. ‘Did you do that?’

‘I’m not responsible if the man is hysterical,’ Lucas said. ‘All I did was knock on the door and he took off running down the road like all of hell was chasing after him.’

Ben gave him another look. Lucas grinned at him.

‘Barbara Joy was in no rush to call an ambulance,’ Lucas said. ‘He died in the street.’

Ben opened and closed his mouth. ‘Died? He’s dead?’

‘Yes, Ben,’ Lucas said patiently. ‘Heart attacks sometimes do that.’

‘Shit!’ Ben said, throwing himself back against the seat.

‘Why so glum?’ Lucas squeezed Ben’s knee. ‘Now you don’t have to worry about all those black eyes and mystery bruises showing your son the wrong way to treat a woman.’

‘Now he’s just seen his stepfather die,’ Ben said.

Lucas shook his head. ‘He wasn’t home.’ He gave Ben a sideways look. ‘But I’m sure Barbara Joy would appreciate a strong shoulder to lean on during this hard time. If that’s something you’re interested in. If not well, who’s to say that a woman who let her husband die in the street is the best person to have full custody of her son. I could have a word with the judge. See about getting that custody arrangement changed to something more agreeable to your way of thinking.’

Ben looked down at his knee where Lucas’s hand was still resting. ‘What would you have done if you’d caught up with Waylon?’

‘Does that matter now?’ Lucas asked.

‘It matters if you’re gonna go after everyone who was happy you died.’

‘Ben, you’ve got nothin’ to worry about,’ Lucas said. ‘When it came to it, you showed where your loyalties truly lay, and I won’t forget that.’

Ben smiled weakly.

***

Caleb had never been in Miss Coombes’ car before. It felt kinda weird with her not being the one to drive it but Jackson drove it like it was an extension of his body. Cousin Gail was in the front seat with Jackson, scootched over about as far away from him as possible. For being so friendly lots of people sure seemed to find him uncomfortable to be around. Even Deputy Floyd ran away when Jackson waved at him from the car. Doc Peele was the only one who actually returned Jackson’s lazy wave.

Jackson pulled the car up besides the pickup that Doc Peele was packing up.

‘You’re not leaving us, are you?’ Gail asked.

Doc Peele nodded. ‘I am, although I was planning on coming by and saying goodbye properly.’

‘I didn’t scare you off that much, did I?’ Jackson drawled.

Doc Peele tightly folded his arms. ‘No. It’s the right choice. I actually had a really helpful conversation with your cousin, Jack. He helped me clear up some things in my mind.’

Jackson gave a genuine smile. ‘He’s good at that.’

‘Can we catch up later?’ Gail asked. ‘Before you go.’

‘I’m going first thing in the morning,’ Doc Peele said. ‘Come by later if you have time.’

Caleb shifted on the back seat. ‘You ain’t dating Miss Coombes anymore?’

Doc Peele shook his head. ‘No, but she’s got Jackson here to look after her now. I’m sure she’ll feel better soon.’

‘Probably the best choice,’ Jackson said, turning the wheel. ‘For you as well.’

As they pulled away, Caleb looked back and saw Doc Peele looking down at the ground.


	12. Chapter 12

Someone had stocked up the kitchen, but Matt couldn’t face cooking a meal. He made himself a sandwich and a glass of milk and walked out onto the porch. It was still warm out in the fading evening, but the storm was pressing in. He used to love watching storms. His daughter would climb up onto his lap and wrap his arms around her, keeping her safe.

As if he had ever kept her safe.

He didn’t turn when he heard the door swinging open. Lucas wouldn’t have used it and he’d have seen anyone else drive up. The faint scent of perfume drifted in the air.

‘You must be feeling a little better.’

‘I always feel better after a bath,’ Selena said. She leaned back against the wall. ‘Times like this I almost wish I smoked. It feels like the thing to do.’

Matt pulled a face. ‘I’m glad that you don’t.’

‘Spoilsport.’ She adjusted her nightgown.

She was bare underneath it. He could see the shapes and contours of her, accentuated by the thin material.

‘I hope that’s not for my benefit.,’ he said.

Selena tossed her head. ‘Ain’t that just like a man, assuming everything women do is aimed at them.’

‘I’m afraid I’m not familiar with your interests,’ Matt said. ‘Other than Lucas.’

‘That’s rich,’ she said. ‘I didn’t turn my bedroom to a gallery of killing him.’

‘Not that we know,’ Matt said. ‘I was ill. You were apparently quite calm and sane when you obsessed about his death.’

Selena shook her head. ‘It’s not enough he makes me suspicious and jealous of other women, now I have to worry about you too.’

Matt folded his arms. ‘I didn’t ask him to come here. I never asked him to come to the hospital.’

‘He was here?’ Selena asked. She sat down abruptly in the other chair.

‘You didn’t know?’

She shook her head. In the heavy porch chair, shorn of makeup and her carefully chosen wardrobe, she looked small and fragile. ‘Now he doesn’t even bother to hurt me.’

‘Maybe because he knows his absence hurts you more,’ Matt said.

She tried to smile. ‘That’s a nice thought.’ She brushed back her hair. ‘At least now you can relax a little.’

‘Now I know he can just turn up and… do whatever he wants to me?’

‘Now you know he’s not going to punish you for leaving the hospital,’ she corrected gently. ‘I know it was weighing on you.’

‘I think I’m an example to others,’ Matt said dryly. ‘Look what happens when you cross Lucas.’

‘Oh boo-hoo, a handsome, charismatic man turns up and makes you feel alive. Poor you.’

Matt shook his head. ‘He makes me feel sick. Terrified. Guilty. He makes me feel completely powerless.’

‘But you feel _something_,’ she said. ‘It’s better than the freezing nothingness. It’s better than just the idea of doing anything be so exhausting that you can’t even face it.’ She rubbed her arms. ‘It’s better to be known by a monster than to be known by nobody.’

‘There are other people, Selena,’ Matt said quietly.

She laughed bitterly. ‘A town full of people who call me a whore? Sometimes to my face. My father lives in Trinity, did you know that? He might as well not. He’d cross the street to avoid me. My mother left when I was sixteen. She didn’t stay in touch. Hell, when she came back into town, she spent more time talking to you than to me.’

‘My wife and child are dead,’ Matt said. ‘You don’t have the monopoly on unhappiness.’

Selena rolled her eyes. ‘I hope to hell that you never did a psychiatric rotation, _Doctor_, because you are terrible at counselling people.’

Matt chuckled. ‘That’s fair.’

‘How did he get you?’ Selena asked. ‘If you don’t mind the question.’

‘What was the deal?’

She nodded.

‘The truth about my family,’ Matt said. ‘I was supposed to leave town afterwards. But… I thought it was going to give me some peace. It didn’t.’

‘And you thought breaking your deal with Lucas was going to be _more_ peaceful?’ Selena shook her head.

‘I thought he’d kill me,’ Matt said quietly.

She stole his glass of milk and took a sip. ‘Oh. Was that the plan all along?’

‘I’m not sure,’ he admitted. ‘Maybe it was, and I just wasn’t ready to be honest with myself.’

‘You should’ve asked me,’ she said. ‘I’d have told you that he doesn’t kill anyone unless he’s sure there’s nothing more interesting he could be doing with them.’

Matt smiled slightly. ‘For a moment I thought you were going to say that I should’ve asked you because you’d have killed me.’

She looked at him thoughtfully. ‘It wouldn’t be the first time. But I like you too much.’

‘How about you? How did you fall?’

She ran her thumb around the lip of her milk. ‘I shot his daddy.’

‘What?’

Selena shrugged. ‘I told myself it was his daddy or mine. Maybe it was. Maybe I was sick of old men with quick fists and venomous tongues.’

‘Lucas knows?’

‘Of course he knows,’ Selena said. ‘He was there. That was the worst part.’ She straightened up. ‘He changed. Right there on the stairway I saw him change. He was always a little cold and contained. Comes from being brought up by a man like that. But when his daddy died, he didn’t care anymore. No more sweetness in him.’ She wiped her eyes. ‘I wasn’t much older than Caleb, but I knew what I’d done.’

Matt shook his head. ‘You were defending yourself?’

She shrugged. ‘Maybe. I don’t remember. They were shouting. There was a storm raging. Jackson was in the bedroom crying and carrying on. My daddy was waving around his shotgun. I grabbed it.’ She pushed her fingers through her hair. ‘Lucas told people that his daddy tripped walking down the stairs. Nobody believed him, not with the mess between his daddy and my daddy, but people _hated_ his daddy. Nobody was going to argue for justice for him.’

‘That must’ve been traumatic,’ Matt offered. ‘Did you get help?’

Selena gave him a look. ‘Did I get therapy? Honey, we barely have mental health here _now_ never mind nearly twenty years ago. Look what happened with you. You think I wanted to spend my teenage years locked up with cat hoarders and men who stumble around holding their johnsons.’

Matt took a bite of his sandwich. ‘Apart from the moral vacuum and borderline sociopathy you seem to have recovered quite well.’

Selena smiled. ‘That’s better. You’re so aggravating when you’re being milquetoast. It’s honestly quite nauseating. Insulting is much more agreeable.’

‘I was wondering before why Jackson didn’t warn me off you as he seemed the type,’ Matt said. ‘But he clearly realises that we kind of hate each other.’

She nodded. ‘Genuine dislike without any kind of fizzing attraction is rare and should be cherished.’

‘Agreed.’ Matt stood up.

‘You haven’t finished your sandwich.’

‘I haven’t started my milk,’ he said. ‘Someone stole it.’

***

Ben flicked up his collar as he fought his way up through the garden and towards the house. Lucas’s garden was peculiar and oppressive even in bright sunshine but now, with the world enclosed in darkness and the air tasting of tin, it was nightmarish. He rarely came here. He spent enough time with Lucas without volunteering to socialise with him.

He turned around as he heard someone running towards him. Another man, hair and clothes plastered against him, escaping the storm. The two of them sprinted towards the door, which opened at their touch.

‘Small towns,’ Jack said, shaking his head as they walked inside.

‘Usually it’s not a problem,’ Ben said. ‘But I’m surprised he’s leaving it open after everything that’s happened.’

Jack stripped off his shirt. He was slimmer than Ben expected, with a scattering of brown chest hair. ‘Locking it would show weakness,’ he said. ‘That’d be worse than getting stabbed in the forehead.’

‘Never understood that,’ Ben admitted. ‘The guy was a pharmacist. You’d think he’d know better how to kill someone than that.’

Jack hesitated for a moment and then seemed to change his mind. ‘Who knows,’ he said. ‘Lemme get you a towel. Are you looking for Lucas?’

‘Jackson.’ Ben stood dripping in place for a few minutes until Jack returned, already changed, and holding a towel.

‘I can maybe dig out some of Jackson’s or Lucas’s clothes for you if you like,’ Jack offered. ‘I’m pretty sure mine wouldn’t fit.’

‘Wear Lucas’s clothes?’ Ben shuddered at the thought. ‘And without his permission? No, thanks. I think I’ll be more comfortable and safe soaking wet.’

Jack chuckled. ‘I’ll make you a hot drink at least.’ He padded into the kitchen and turned on the machine. ‘There’s no sign of Jackson. He’ll be off causing trouble somewhere.’

‘Damn,’ Ben said quietly.

Jack looked at him over his shoulder. ‘Something wrong?’

Ben walked into the kitchen. ‘Did you know that Jackson took it into his head to bust Doc Crower out of Juniper House?’ 

‘I know Caleb asked Jackson to help him. What makes you think he managed it?’

‘Floyd saw Jackson, dressed up Lucas mind you, cruising around in Selena Coombes’ car with Selena and Matt Crower.’ Ben rubbed his hair with the towel.

Jack poured the coffees. ‘You sure that’s what he saw?’ he asked doubtfully. ‘Someone who looks like Lucas and is dressed like Lucas driving past in a car… Floyd wouldn’t have got the best look, and this is Floyd we’re talking about.’

Ben snorted. ‘Yeah, it is. Trust me, Floyd knows Jackson from Lucas. You could stick a bag over Jackson’s head and Floyd would ID him.’

‘Ah,’ Jack said. ‘Gotcha.’

‘And now Lucas knows,’ Ben said. ‘There’s a note on his desk about it. I tell you, Jack, Jackson has gone way too far this time.’

Jack held up his hands. ‘He’s only got permission to be here a couple more days.’

‘Lucas of course being known for his patience and tolerance,’ Ben said. ‘I don’t even know where to begin about this marshal who keeps calling. Lucas has got _her_ all riled up, but I’ll be damned if she’ll tell me why.’

Jack put his hands on his hips. ‘A marshal?’

‘Yeah. Rachel something and she is pissed.’

‘Jackson is in witness protection,’ Jack said. ‘If I was Lucas and I wanted to get him out of town without tackling him directly I might consider contacting them. In which case you don’t need to worry about how he’ll react about the doctor.’

Ben gulped coffee. ‘Except a) she is mad at Lucas, not Jackson, and b) she called first before Floyd saw Jackson.’ He shook his head. ‘She was ranting about Lucas accessing her laptop. I didn’t even know he knew how to turn one on.’

‘That can’t be good,’ Jack agreed. ‘You’re looking to warn Jackson?’

‘If I can find him. Trinity’s a big place to hide Matt Crower and Selena Coombes. Although I guess campin’ is unlikely.’

‘Or just leaving,’ Jack said. ‘You think they’re together?’

Ben finished his coffee. ‘I hope so! They’re both in a mess.’

Jack drummed his fingers on the counter. ‘Somewhere out of the way. With proper facilities for Selena. I think I know where they might’ve gone. You got a car?’

‘Outside collecting rain. You comin’ with?’ Ben asked hopefully.

‘I think I better.’

***

Caleb hadn’t been out this way before. He hadn’t known that he’d had family all the way on this side of Trinity. ‘Course for most of his life he hadn’t known that he had family in the Buck house. He’d heard the ranch mentioned now and then, mostly on account of the size of it. It was one of the biggest in the state, not that you’d know it in the evening with all the animals brought in for the night. A shame, that. Caleb liked animals. He’d have very much liked a dog, but his daddy wouldn’t hear of it. Lucas didn’t seem like any kind of an animal lover.

‘Jackson?’ Caleb asked as Jackson parked the car.

‘Yup?’

‘You have any pets growin’ up?’

Jackson held the door open for Gail. ‘None after Shadow passed. She was more Lucas’s than mine.’

‘Lucas had a dog?’ Gail asked, surprised.

‘Cat,’ Jackson said. ‘She was a part-time pet you might say. Mostly lived with Mrs Lafontaine down the street. She was smart. She made sure she was never around when our daddy was in the house.’

‘I can’t believe Lucas was a cat guy,’ Gail said.

‘You thinking of asking for a pet?’ Jackson asked Caleb.

‘Yes sir.’ Caleb jumped out of the car. ‘Me and Merlyn always wanted a dog. I know they’re a lot of work. But responsibility is good for a growin’ boy.’

‘I don’t think Miss Holt allows animals,’ Gail said.

‘I ain’t staying with her no more,’ Caleb said. ‘Lucas got custody.’

‘I thought you were just staying a few days,’ Gail said, startled. ‘When did all this happen?’

‘While you were in hospital,’ Caleb said. ‘It’s okay. The social woman asked me.’

Gail and Jackson exchanged a look.

‘I’m not sure that Lucas is thinking about how to raise you to be a responsible man,’ Gail said.

‘Telling him you want one is probably enough,’ Jackson said.

Gail put her hand on Caleb’s shoulder. ‘Maybe you already have enough responsibility.’

‘I looked after Merlyn,’ Caleb said. ‘I can look after a dog.’

‘Did you have to take her for runs in the woods?’ Jackson asked.

Caleb giggled. ‘No!’

The three of them headed towards the ranch house.

‘This belongs to Jack?’ Gail asked.

‘Officially now,’ Jackson said. ‘The lawyer had power of attorney when Uncle Joshua got shot. The whole place is run by a manager.’

‘Uncle Joshua is who?’

‘My daddy’s brother,’ Jackson said. ‘He was “mysteriously” shot when I was a kid. Been in a coma since then. He died couple days ago.’

‘Interesting timing,’ Gail said.

Caleb followed the smell of cooking towards the kitchen. Selena was wearing a loose t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants that he assumed belonged to Jackson. She looked real young.

‘Brought Caleb here to visit with the doctor,’ Jackson said, warily as Gail and Selena faced up to each other.

‘Caleb being here isn’t the most pressing question on my mind.’ Selena folded her arms. ‘Caleb, honey, Doc Crower is upstairs listening to some music. I’m sure he’ll be real pleased to see you.’

Caleb looked up at Gail. ‘You want me to stay here?’

‘I’d really like to talk to Miss Coombes privately,’ Gail said.

‘Not sure that’s a great idea,’ Jackson said.

‘Your tendency to do things just because you’re curious to see what happens can get old quick,’ Selena said to him. ‘The store dropped off some groceries before. Make yourself useful, Jackson, and go fetch another bottle of wine. I’m sure we’re gonna need it.’

He put his hands on his hips. ‘I’m only trying –’

‘Well don’t,’ Selena said. ‘We’re grown women. We don’t need two boys hanging around thinking they’re protecting us.’

Caleb tugged at Jackson’s sleeve. ‘C’mon. You don’t want to get her mad or Cousin Gail neither.’

Gail watched the door swing shut behind them. Selena turned around to turn down the heat on the stove.

‘You’ve got a nerve,’ Gail said.

‘To do what, exist?’ Selena asked.

‘My baby doesn’t, thanks to you,’ Gail snarled.

‘Oh please,’ Selena said. ‘You didn’t want it. If he hadn’t stopped you then you’d have gotten rid of it.’ She took a sip of wine. ‘And it would’ve been the right choice.’

‘Your jealousy is pathetic.’

Selena shrugged. ‘And yours isn’t? He can replace you like _that_.’ She snapped her fingers. ‘Just like he replaced your Sainted Aunt Judy with you. But he can’t replace me.’

‘He hates you,’ Gail growled.

‘So? It’s the next best thing to love.’ She shrugged. ‘I took an overdose. Who do you think found me?’

Gail was quiet for a few seconds. ‘Is this what you want from your life? Locked into this destructive, co-dependant nightmare?’

Selena shook her head. ‘I don’t see a white picket fence in my future somehow.’

‘That we can agree on,’ Gail said.

‘Or yours,’ Selena said. ‘Not if you don’t leave while you can.’

‘Maybe that’s not what I want.’

Selena chuckled. ‘Apparently Lucas has something of a type.’

‘I’m not you,’ Gail snapped. ‘I could never do what you did.’

‘Then you’ll be the one jumping through a window after the baby is born,’ Selena said. ‘You don’t have to be me, but you do have to be _strong_. If you’re not, then Lucas will use you and throw you away. You can be an acolyte, or you can be disposable.’

Gail laughed. ‘You think that you’re _strong_? What have you ever done without a man to protect you? Lucas, Billy Peele, Jackson. You even got Caleb to do your dirty work. A _literal_ child.’

‘You think that Lucas hasn’t been protecting you?’ Selena asked. ‘Even since you came back to Trinity, he’s been looking out for you. You run around pretending that you’re independent and so brave. You’re not brave, Gail You’re either a fool or you’re a hypocrite. Without Lucas, you’d have been murdered by Ossie or raped by one of those incomers. You look surprise. You think he didn’t tell me? He told me _everything._’

‘That’s not... It wasn’t like that,’ Gail protested.

‘It was _exactly_ like that.’ Selena stepped up to Gail. ‘What really annoys me about you, Gail, is that you think that you’re better than me. You’re not. I’m just more honest about what I am.’

‘I’m not a moral vacuum operating out of a desperate need for validation from a man,’ Gail retorted.

Selena smiled. ‘Oh, you poor thing. You honestly don’t see that you’re acting out against your daddy every time you talk back to Lucas or insist into running into danger. You may have forgotten all the times your daddy raised his hand to you, but it’s in your blood. Lucas knows _exactly_ why you’re playing the smartass with him. Better than you do. He lets you do it because it amuses and excites him. Taking you to bed when you’ve sworn up and down that you hate him is arousing.’ She stopped suddenly and laughed.

‘What?’

‘Look at us,’ Selena said. ‘We’ve swapped over. I’m supposed to be his right hand, but I’d gladly see him dead. You’re supposed to be the challenge that boosts his ego every time he “conquers” you.’ 

Gail bit her lip. ‘Damn Lucas!’

‘You’re at least twenty years too late,’ Selena said.

***

Matt sat up when he heard the light step on the stairs. He thought it was too light even for Selena.

‘Hello?’

‘Hey, Doctor Matt,’ Caleb said padding over. ‘Jackson drove me over to visit.’

‘That was nice of him,’ Matt said uncertainly.

Caleb sat on the bed. ‘I think Jack told him to. He thinks you’re a good influence. He didn’t say that, but I know what it is.’

Matt sat next to him. ‘Who’s Jack?’

‘He’s Lucas’s cousin,’ Caleb said. ‘He’s kinda like Lucas, but the opposite.’

Matt squeezed the bridge of his nose. ‘Not sure most people would agree with him.’

Caleb shrugged. He was the one suggested that Jackson could bust you out of Juniper House.’

‘That was quite a stretch,’ Matt said dryly. ‘So, what’s it like with all these unknown relatives turning up unexpected?’

Caleb rubbed his belly. ‘Weird. Everywhere I turn is someone I don’t know or someone I know but who’s mad at me. Merlyn’s gone and I’m living with Lucas and I threatened Ben and I don’t want to be a bad person. Doctor Matt!’

‘Whoa,’ Matt said, put his arm around Caleb’s back. ‘I’m sure you’re not.’

‘I did a terrible thing,’ Caleb said.

Matt sighed. ‘I did too. People make mistakes, Caleb.’

‘Mine is worse,’ Caleb said firmly.

‘Okay,’ Matt said. ‘Tell me about it.’

***

Jackson was carrying a case of wine when the landline began ringing. He knew it was bad news as soon he recognised the voice.

‘Hey, Art.’

‘That’s chief deputy to you,’ Art said. ‘I have been calling everyone in that Podunk town until some brain-dead deputy squealed that you had an uncle.’

Floyd. Jackson shook his head and let his uncle’s inability to pass on a message for the last twenty plus years go. ‘Why are you calling?’

Art sighed heavily. ‘Look, I wouldn’t ordinarily do this by phone, but your brother knows the situation and local marshals will be with you in less than an hour.’

Jackson gripped the phone. ‘What’s going on?’

‘We’ve had a security breach,’ Art admitted. ‘Your file and current location were accessed. Don’t go back to your brother’s house. Is your cousin with you?’

Jackson set his jaw. ‘He’s outside. Okay, I’ll keep a low profile until your guys get here.’

‘We’ll get to the bottom of this,’ Art promised.

‘Does this mean I’ll get some of your personal attention?’ Jackson asked, but he knew it wasn’t up to his usual standard.

Art chucked. ‘One of these days you’re gonna have to take something seriously.’

‘I’m taking this totally seriously, Art,’ he promised.

‘See you stay close to your brother.’

Jackson looked out of the window. ‘Don’t worry, I’m gonna spend some quality time with Lucas. Whether he likes it or not.’


	13. Chapter 13

As soon as they crossed over the border, the air seemed to change. Earnest’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. Lena crossed her legs and looked out of the window.

‘Why is this taking so long?’ Cecil whined.

‘Because we had to stop twice for you to go to the bathroom,’ Earnest snapped.

‘Why weren’t bathroom breaks included in the schedule?’ Cecil asked.

‘Next time you can write the schedule,’ Earnest retorted.

‘I wanted to this time! You wouldn’t let me!’

Lena groaned. ‘I have got to get a new job.’

‘Can I come with you?’ Jay asked.

‘Sure. Let’s start our own company,’ she said.

‘What are we calling it?’ Earnest asked.

Lena gave him a sideways look. ‘You’re the reason that we’re leaving.’

‘Cecil is the one –’

‘Can I shoot him?’ Jay asked.

‘Please,’ Lena said. ‘Please shoot him.’

***

The room was surprisingly calm when Jackson returned to the kitchen. He’d been half expecting blood on the floor.

‘Everything okay?’ he asked.

The two women exchanged looks.

‘Sure,’ Selena said. ‘With us. You look like someone told you that your daddy’s on his way home.’

Jackson set his shoulders. ‘Can I talk to you privately?’

Gail put down her cup. ‘I’m going to have a walk.’

‘Thanks,’ Jackson said.

Selena stirred the pot on the stove as Gail let the room. ‘Is this about Lucas?’

‘Indirectly most like,’ Jackson said, leaning against the counter. ‘That was the marshal service.’

‘All of ‘em?’

‘This is serious, Selena,’ he said. ‘Someone hacked their system and found out where I am. They think there could be bad guys on the way.’

She looked at him. ‘_Someone_ hacked the system. That would be quite the coincidence.’

Jackson shrugged. ‘Yeah, my money’s on Lucas too.’

She pursed her lips. ‘I told you it was dangerous you coming home. Then you had to rile him up getting Matt Crower out.’

‘Didn’t stop you coming along!’ Jackson returned. He put his hand on her arm. ‘Look, he wants me gone from Trinity. If he wanted me dead, then he’d kill me himself.’

She gave him a look. ‘I’m sure the contract killers will honour the distinction.’

‘It could get messy for sure.’

‘Everything near you gets messy,’ she said, patting his cheek.

‘Everyone needs a purpose in life,’ he said wryly.

***

Gail stood on the porch looking out at the distant lights. There was a light mist of rain that lent a delicate corona to them. This deep in the country, the buildings were sprawling and widespread. She had no idea how far away the nearest neighbour was. Or even how far Trinity was. When she had first moved back being so isolated would’ve made her anxious. Now she appreciated the quiet.

The hairs on her arms and the nape of her neck rose as a cold breeze drifted past. Gail rubbed her arms.

‘Chilly, Miss Emery?’ Lucas asked.

‘Where did you come from?’ she asked, as he draped his jacket around her shoulders.

‘I get everywhere.’

Gail pushed her arms into the sleeves. The jacket was far too big for her and heavier than she would have imagined. It was rich with his scent and the borrowed warmth from his body.

‘I should’ve asked Jackson what time he was planning to drive back,’ she said.

‘Now you don’t have to.’ He leaned on the fence, facing her. ‘You ready to go?’

‘Soon. Your house is a little… much.’

Lucas cupped her face with his hand. He brushed her mouth with his thumb. ‘You hate my taste in home decoration so much that you’d rather spend your free time with Selena Coombes?’

‘Worried what she might say?’ Gail asked.

Lucas scanned her face. ‘You think terrible things about me without her help.’

‘Sometimes I have cause.’

‘Maybe.’ He shrugged. ‘Maybe I’m thinkin’ that, as much as you think I’m so wicked, you don’t think she’s wicked enough.’

She smiled slightly. ‘Oh, you’re worried about me?’

‘You do have a knack for getting yourself into trouble,’ he said.

_Even since you came back to Trinity, he’s been looking out for you._

Gail suppressed a shudder. ‘I don’t think she’d try anything with Matt and Caleb in the house.’ She realised what she’d said. ‘I mean, that is…’

‘I’ve already spoken to Doc Crower,’ Lucas said mildly. ‘I like to think that we have an understandin' now.’

Gail lowered her eyes. ‘You’ve broken him too.’

‘Is that what I did to you, Gail? Did I “break” you? It seemed to me that you made your own choice with your eyes wide open.’

‘Not that open.’ She folded her arms. ‘I spoke to you brother and your cousin about our… situation.’

She saw his eyes narrow fractionally, even as his smile remained warm and inviting.

‘Jack’s real new to things,’ Lucas said. ‘Half the reason he’s still here is he needs a guiding hand before he goes home. Only so many “atmospheric disturbances” even a big city can have before people start askin' questions.’

‘I think he was right about you though,’ Gail said.

‘That so?’

She nodded. ‘Probably more than Jackson I think.’

‘Lemme guess, Jackson thought you should throw all agreements to the wind and damn the consequences. He’s never been much of one for them.’

Gail shook her head. ‘Not so much. He did think you might be misleading me.’

Lucas raised his eyebrows. ‘Have I _lied_ to you?’

‘I’m damn sure you have,’ she said. ‘But I can’t prove it.’ She pushed her fingers through her hair. ‘Do I still owe you, Lucas?’

He pulled her in close and kissed her. ‘Does it matter?’

Gail returned the kiss, letting it linger on her lips. She looked into his eyes. ‘Not really.’ She put her hand on his chest. ‘Jack said you didn’t want to hurt me. That you’d much prefer to negotiate.’

His lips curled up. ‘Quite the conversation you had.’

‘Is he right?’

‘The Boy Scout isn’t in the habit of lyin', even when he should.’ Lucas brushed his fingers through her hair. ‘Let’s negotiate.’

***

‘No spare at all?’ Jack asked, looking at the rapidly deflating tyre.

Ben shut the trunk with a slam. ‘God damn, Floyd, I’m going use him as a tyre when I get back to the station. Replace the spare when you use it! How hard is that to remember?’

Jack looked around. ‘That looks like the nearest inhabited building.’

‘That’s gotta be a three-mile walk,’ Ben groaned.

‘How far to the ranch?’

‘Maybe a mile-and-a-half.’

Jack nodded. ‘Guess we’re walking. Better leave a note.’

Ben sighed. ‘I’m never gonna hear the end of this from Lucas.’

***

Lena spread out the map. The three men gathered around her. ‘Cecil, you cover the front. Jay, monitor the road. Nobody gets in or out. Earnest, you check the barn and the outhouses. I’ll take the ranch house.’

Jay put binoculars to his eyes and scanned the area. ‘I’m seeing some cars.’

Lena nodded. ‘Cecil, you disable those. Earnest, if you find any farm vehicles in the barns you do the same.’

Cecil shuffled his feet. ‘This is a big farm, Lena, and if there are multiple vehicles then there’s probably lots of people.’

‘What’s your point?’

‘We’re only after _one_ person,’ Cecil said.

Earnest slapped the back of his head. ‘This is to send a message you idiot. So, if there’s anyone in there with him, they die too.’

‘Ow!’

‘Did you really think they’d send four people for one guy?’ Jay asked shaking his head.

‘He might be dangerous!’

Lena snorted. ‘He’s a two-bit pilot-cum-smuggler who saw some stuff he shouldn’t and didn’t keep his mouth shut.’

‘This is gonna be a breeze,’ Earnest said. ‘In and out in fifteen minutes.’

‘I hope you’re right,’ Cecil muttered.

‘When am I wrong?’

‘Always,’ Lena said.

***

Gail felt Lucas pause mid-thrust. They were in a copse of trees, a little way from the house. She was pressed against a tree bole, holding onto two branches as he pushed into her. He paused, for a moment, and then carried on quicker, more strongly.

‘What?’ she gasped.

‘We got a few minutes,’ he said, his voice low and rough.

Gail moaned softly, tightening. She squeezed her eyes shut and let it ride through her. He was the most relentlessly selfish man she’d ever met and the only one who always came second.

As she was catching her breath, her face pressed against his chest, she listened to him finishing.

‘A few… minutes for what?’ she asked.

He gave her a lazy smile as he pulled up his pants. ‘All business ain’t you?’

‘I have to be with you.’

He straightened his sleeves. ‘A few minutes to get Caleb and get out of here.’

‘Why? What’s happening?’

Lucas shrugged. ‘Jackson’s birds are coming home to roost is all. He’s a big boy and don’t tell me you care about Selena.’

‘He’s your _brother_!’

‘And I am being gentle to him because of it,’ Lucas said.

‘So gentle that we have to run away?’ Gail sneered. ‘He’s going to get killed, isn’t he?’

Lucas rolled his eyes. ‘Probably not. He can take care of himself.’

‘And Matt? Can he?’

Lucas put his hands on his hips. ‘I didn’t know he was going to be here.’

‘Well he _is_. Are you going to let him die?’

‘He did try to shoot me,’ Lucas said mildly.

Gail threw up her arms. ‘But you’re having so much fun torturing him.’

‘There is that.’

***

Jackson was breaking into the gun cabinet when Matt Crower yelled down from his room.

‘There’s a man outside,’ Matt called.

Jackson glanced through the kitchen window. ‘Out the front?’

‘Yes. A man with glasses and carrying a shotgun.’

Jackson loaded a rifle. ‘Stay away from the windows.’

Selena opened the door. ‘Caleb’s watching out of the East bedroom window.’

‘Tell him to come down to the basement,’ Jackson said.

Selena gave him a look. ‘He ain’t gonna do that,’ she said. ‘It’s all I could do to stop him going out there to look for himself.’

Jackson handed her a shotgun. ‘Aren’t you his teacher?’

‘He’s spent too much time with Lucas,’ she said.

‘Haven’t we all.’ Jackson shook his head. ‘I’m not confident enough he’ll keep Caleb safe.’

‘You think Lucas is nearby?’ Selena asked, tensing.

‘Sure.’ Jackson pushed his fingers through his hair. ‘He’s been out there maybe twenty minutes.’

There was a clatter on the stairs and Caleb ran in. ‘There’s a lady with a gun around the side of the house.’

Jackson was quiet for a second. ‘Jack’s real close too.’

Caleb pursed his lips. ‘Lucas said that Jack ain’t safe. He could hurting people by accident.’

‘Beats hurting people on purpose,’ Selena said.

***

‘Don’t move!’

Gail turned and looked over at the little man waving a shotgun in their direction.

‘I said don’t move!’

Lucas rolled his eyes as he strolled forward. He grabbed the shotgun as Cecil frantically pulled the trigger, ignored the shot bringing down a branch, and threw it aside.

‘Hey!’

‘Jackson’s inside the ranch house,’ Lucas said.

‘Caleb is in there too,’ Gail said, following him.

Lucas gave her a long-suffering look. ‘I s’ppose I best go be a big damn hero.’

‘That doesn’t really work when you’re the one who caused the problem in the first place.’ Gail kicked Cecil as he scrambled in the darkness looking for his gun. ‘Who is the idiot?’

‘Hired by the cartel Jackson gave evidence against,’ Lucas said.

‘Come back here or I’ll shoot!’

Lucas shook his head. ‘They don’t make remorseless killers the way they used to.’

A squall of rain broke overhead. Lucas looked up at the sky.

‘Well now,’ he said. ‘Things are getting interestin’.’

***

Someone shot Ben.

‘Fuck!’ Ben screamed.

Jack crashed into him, grabbing him under the armpits and dragged him behind the nearby storehouse.

‘Where are you hurt?’ Jack hissed.

‘My hand! He shot my fucking hand!’

Jack pulled off his shirt and wrapped it around Ben’s hand. ‘Give me a count of a hundred and start yelling like hell.’ 

‘You’re supposed to be the good one!’ Ben whimpered, as Jack disappeared into the darkness. ‘Shit.’ He tried counting under his breath, but every faint sound or movement made him cringe backwards. ‘I need an ambulance!’ he bellowed. ‘Can someone help me!’

‘I’ll help you,’ Jay said, stepping out. ‘Just hold real still,’ he said, raising his pistol.

Jack hit him heavily from behind. Jay bellowed, half turned, and was struck again. This time he collapsed to the ground.

‘Helpful guy,’ Jack said, breathing slightly heavily.

‘Is he dead?’

Jack leaned down to check Jay’s breathing. ‘No, but he’s unconscious. That’s not good. He’s gonna need a brain scan.’

Ben had to raise his voice over the driving rain. ‘He tried to shoot us.’

‘Yeah.’ Jack picked up Jay’s pistol. ‘I don’t know about you, Deputy, but I’m not having the best time here in Trinity.’

‘Speaking as the person who got _shot in the hand_, I would have to agree.’

***

Caleb mooched around the basement, kicking against the shelving. It weren’t fair that he’d been sent down here like a little kid. He could help! They hadn’t even told him who it was outside that everyone was afraid of bustin’ in.

Metal scraped behind him.

Caleb spun around and backed away. There were no windows here. The only way in or out was up the steps. Right?

Another metal scrape.

Caleb peeked around a shelf to see where the sound was coming from. There was nothing there but a few old sacks and a metal door that he figured was the coal cellar or something.

The handle was turning slowly.

He had a clear run to the steps. He rushed over, pulled open the door, and called as loudly as he dared.

‘Someone’s comin’ in through the basement!’

Then he ran back into the basement and hid behind the shelves. The sound of his breath blotted out the slow, rusty shrieks as the metal door was pushed open.

_You don’t have to do this._

It wasn’t a voice. It was barely even a feeling in his chest. Caleb took a deep breath.

‘Merlyn?’ he whispered. ‘You there?’

***

Jack took Ben to the stables and left him there with Jay’s gun. The deputy made noises about coming with him, but Jack could see that shock was setting in. By the time he came back to the copse, Jay was gone. Shit. Not that badly injured then. Jack made his way towards the ranch in a large circuit. In a flash of lightning, he saw Lucas and Gail up ahead of him.

Jack had been shot before. He wouldn’t recommend it. This was the first time that he’d been stabbed. He staggered forward a few steps as he turned around.

Cecil took a wild slash at him.

‘What the hell is wrong with you people?’ Jack demanded, swaying.

As Cecil edged closer, Jack stepped back.

‘That asshole took my gun!’ Cecil wailed.

‘Good!’ Jack glanced down at his abdomen. Blood was oozing through his shirt. ‘I didn’t even get a grip on it not fucking raining when I’m pissed off.’

Cecil darted forward. Jack punched automatically, catching him in the throat. Cecil choked but kicked at Jack’s knee, knocking him to the ground.

Jack screamed in pain. Cecil scrambled away.

***

Caleb heard a woman cursing under her breath, and then chunky heels striking the floor as she shut the metal door shut.

Caleb straightened up. He could do this. Lucas had shown him how to months ago. But if he did… Jack said his future was the choices he made every day.

Caleb clutched the shelving as a tall, black woman appeared. She was wearing high boots, a sweater dress, and two semi-automatic weapons in shoulder holsters. She had another pistol loosely in her hand.

‘Hi there,’ she said, relaxing slightly. ‘What’re you doing down here, kid?’

‘My uncle thought it’d be safer than being near any of the windows,’ Caleb said.

‘Ah,’ she said. ‘What’s your name? I’m Lena.’

‘Caleb Temple.’

She squatted down, like he was a _kid_. ‘Well, if you want to climb out through there, I won’t tell anyone,’ she said. ‘A couple of my friends are out there, but if you’re quiet and keep down low I don’t think they’ll see you.’

‘I ain’t running away,’ he said, setting his shoulders.

‘Oh, sweetie,’ she said, standing up. ‘We’re going to burn this place down when we’re finished. It’s really not safe for you.’

‘No Ma’am,’ he said. ‘But I’m not the one gonna get shot in the back.’

‘Shot in the…’

Caleb stepped back and clapped his hands over his ears.

Lena spun around.

Selena fired her shotgun.

***

Earnest was in the kitchen when he heard a shotgun fired. Not Lena’s tec-9s.

‘Lena?’ he yelled. ‘Lena!’ He ran around the counter and out into the hallway.

He saw a small woman, pulling a boy after her, climb up from the basement.

‘Look out!’ the boy yelled.

Earnest fired. He had a clear shot. He couldn’t miss at this range.

The shot hit the mirror, showering the hallways with glass. Earnest spun and saw the woman and the boy climbing through the window.

***

Jackson pulled Caleb through the window as Matt pulled Selena out.

‘This way,’ Jackson said, dragging them all into the thickening storm.

‘Where are we going?’ Caleb screamed above the wind.

‘The barn,’ Jackson replied. ‘It’s more defensible.’

‘What about the car?’ Matt asked.

‘Tried it,’ Jackson shouted. ‘It’s been disabled.’

Caleb watched anxiously as Jackson and Matt wrenched open the barn doors.

‘Where’s Cousin Gail?’ he asked.

‘Lucas’ll look after her,’ Jackson said.

Selena checked her shotgun. ‘You know better that to put your faith in Lucas.’

‘He’s out there,’ Jackson said, moving towards the steps to the hayloft.

Selena shivered. They were all soaked to the skin, but her hair was plastered around her face. ‘In at the kill, no doubt.’

‘Your attitude isn’t helpful,’ Matt said.

Selena took one of Lena’s guns from her purse. ‘You want to help, Doctor?’

‘The last time I held a gun it didn’t end too well for me,’ he said dryly.

‘You ended up in Juniper House,’ she said. ‘If we don’t defend ourselves, we could end up in the ground.’

Jackson leaned over from the hayloft. ‘I’ll go out and draw them off.’

‘That’s ridiculous,’ Selena argued.

‘That lady said they were gonna burn the ranch down,’ Caleb said. ‘She said I could get away if I hid from the other people.’

‘We heard someone shooting outside,’ Matt said. ‘They have no scruples about killing innocents.’

The door crashed open and Lucas strolled in with Gail. ‘Lucky there don’t seem to be any innocents around.’

‘This is your fault!’ Selena snarled.

‘Me?’ he asked. ‘What did I do?’

‘Well,’ said a shaky voice behind them. ‘You left the door open.’

Cecil, bleeding and shaking, pointed his gun towards them.

‘Oh, this one again,’ Lucas said to Gail.

‘Shut up!’ Cecil screamed, against the sound of thunder. ‘I’ll shoot you all!’

‘You literally can’t,’ Lucas said.

‘Get out of the freaking way, Cecil,’ Earnest snarled, shoving him aside.

Lucas stepped back as Jay and Earnest came into the barn.

‘Shut up!’ Cecil shrieked. ‘Shut up! I’ve had enough of you and your –’

Earnest shot him in the face. Cecil dropped to the ground.

Caleb looked at Lucas. ‘Did you do that?’ he whispered.

Lucas gave him a lazy smile. ‘Not me. The Boy Scout is a little… agitated.’

‘What’re you doing?’ Jay demanded. ‘He’s on our side!’

‘They shot Lena!’

‘They did! They did! Cecil didn’t!’

‘Was that the lady in the dress?’ Caleb asked.

They turned on him.

‘Did you kill her?’ Earnest demanded.

‘It doesn’t matter!’ Jay waved his spare weapon at them. ‘Everyone lie down on the floor!’

‘Or what?’ Matt asked. ‘You’re obviously planning on killing us all anyway.’

Lucas put his hands on his hips. ‘They can’t help being melodramatic,’ he said to Matt. ‘There’s no call for you to join in.’

Jackson climbed down from the hayloft. Earnest raised his rifle.

‘No!’ Selena threw herself towards Jackson as Earnest fired.

Lucas groaned. ‘Really?’

‘Save her!’ Caleb begged.

Lucas shook his head. ‘Well…’

Earnest cocked his rifle. ‘Nobody is saving anyone.’

The sound of the storm stopped. A sudden intense oppressive silence fell.

Jackson, cradling Selena while Matt checked her vitals, looked at Lucas.

‘Fuck.’

The storm returned with a vengeance as the roof of the barn was ripped off and thrown aside. Wind and rain screamed around them. Matt grabbed Caleb and tried to cover him from the debris that whirled around the air.

‘What’s happening?’ Gail shouted.

‘That,’ Lucas said.

Caleb looked over to the barn door. Jack was stood in the doorway. He was bleeding heavily and hunched over.

Jay and Earnest aimed their guns at him.

Lightning stabbed down, incinerating both of them.

Jack looked at Lucas. He was swaying.

‘I…’ he muttered.

‘Harvard! You’re up,’ Lucas ordered.

Jack collapsed.

The storm died.

***

Epilogue

Outside the house, the street was silent. Quiet as the grave when here in Trinity it was a job to make the dead quit jabbering. Caleb wondered if there was some kind of joke in that.

He turned around when someone tapped on the door.

‘Hey, I gotta go,’ Jackson said. ‘Marshal service get twitchy when you keep ‘em waiting. They figure that either you’re going out the window or someone’s coming in the door.’

‘Wish you could stay,’ Caleb said.

Jackson sat by him on the bed. ‘I’m gonna miss you. I don’t reckon Lucas would be amenable to me visiting much.’ He bumped his shoulder against Caleb. ‘We’ll have to write. That’ll annoy the hell out of him.’

Caleb giggled. ‘He’ll hate that.’

Jackson clasped his hands together. ‘This room seemed so much bigger when I was a teenager.’

‘This was your room?’

‘Sure,’ Jackson said. ‘Before that it was Lucas’s room. When our dad died, Lucas had the bars taken off the window and he moved into the main bedroom.’ He tapped his feet together. ‘I’d tell you that Lucas cares for you as much as he’s able, but I think you know that.’

Caleb leaned against him. ‘The way he cared about you.’

Jackson shrugged. ‘You’re not me, Caleb. You can make your own way.’

‘It ain’t too late?’

‘Right now it is,’ Jackson said. ‘But I don’t think Lucas is ready to curl up and die just yet.’ He shrugged. ‘Every day is another bunch of choices. Another bunch of chances.’ 

Caleb set his shoulders. ‘Jack thinks that Lucas wants another baby with Gail.’

‘He’s likely right as not,’ Jackson said. ‘How’s that make you feel?’

Caleb shrugged. ‘What am I gonna do if he likes the baby more?’

‘Oh, he won’t,’ Jackson promised. ‘Babies are boring as _hell_.’

Caleb giggled again. ‘Where you gonna go?’

‘Back to Kentucky,’ Jackson said standing up. ‘I just about convinced them that they don’t need to move me.’ He dug out a folded piece of paper from his pocket. ‘Here’s my number and here’s my address. You’ll get the same from Jack I’m sure.’ He winked. ‘But I’m more fun.’ 

Caleb walked downstairs with him where the marshals were already waiting. Lucas was conspicuous by his absence. Selena was conspicuous by her presence. She stopped flirting with a tall, lean marshal wearing a ridiculous cowboy hat, and stood up.

‘You should still be in the hospital,’ Jackson said.

‘That you for medical opinion, _doctor_,’ she said. ‘It was barely a flesh wound.’

Jackson gave her a hug and kissed her cheek. ‘Stay in touch.’

‘I will if you will,’ she said, holding him tightly.

***

‘Knock, knock,’ Lucas said.

‘Since when do you knock?’ Jack asked. He was perched on the edge of the hospital cot. He was pale even now. The large bandage on his side was hardly a contrast to his skin. Underneath he knew there were ugly black stitches in angry, purple skin.

‘Last two people who wandered in without being invited ended up regretting it,’ Lucas said, lounging back against the wall. ‘Just not for very long.’

Jack shot him a look. ‘Thanks for the reminder.’

‘What else is family for?’

Jack pulled on his shirt. ‘You here to run me out of town?’

‘Nah, I’ve had my fill of that for today,’ Lucas said. He tucked his hands into his pockets.

Jack looked at him for a minute. ‘Did you tell him that you’re gonna miss him?’

‘Now why would I do something like that?’ Lucas asked.

Jack shook his head. ‘You wanna get some lunch?’

‘You sure that ain’t against one of those rules you like so much?’ Lucas asked.

‘See, this is why being the forgiveness guy can be much more relaxed than being the punishment guy.’ Jack finished dressing and headed for the door.

Lucas joined him. ‘You like barbeque? I know you big city boys are used to exotic food like… sushi.’

‘Sushi isn’t exotic,’ Jack said, as they wandered out. ‘Where’s Caleb?’

‘Saying goodbye to Jackson,’ Lucas sniffed. ‘And you find your own successor. Don’t be sniffing around mine.’

Jack nodded agreeably, remembering the bright glow that had shone in Caleb’s chest right before he’d incinerated the two killers.

‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ he said.


End file.
